What is the basic process of welding?

The basic process of welding involves metal joining through coalescence by heating. This definition captures the essence of what welding is: it utilizes heat to melt the base materials (the metals being joined), allowing them to fuse together as they cool and solidify. This coalescence creates a strong bond that is typically as strong (or stronger) than the base materials themselves.

In welding, different methods might be used to generate the heat required, such as electric arcs, gas flames, or lasers, depending on the type of welding being performed. The process can involve additional materials such as welding rods or filler materials, but the fundamental action is the heating and merging of metals to form a single piece.

The other options, while related to metalworking, do not accurately describe the welding process. Merging without heat implies a different type of material interaction not associated with standard welding practices, chemical bonding refers to molecular interactions typically associated with different processes, and physical bending of metals doesn't describe any process of joining them but rather altering their shape.