Answer:
We don't have the passage. A random sampling of surfactant uses includes:
- removal of oily materials from objects (clothes and dishes)
- forms remarkable structures called bubbles
- Assists in forming emulsions (e.g., mayonaise and paints)
Explanation:
The structure of a surfactant makes one end of a molecule hydrophilic and the other end hydrophobic. In water, they self-assemble into micelles, an arrangement in which the hydrophobic ends align towards the center, and the hydrophilic ends are pointed outwards to the water. This self-assembly is apparant when bubbles are made. The molecules quickly align themselves such that the hyrophilic ends are oriented inwards towards a thin layer of water and the hydrophobic ends are pointed outward to the air. This arrangement allows a mono-molecular sphere of water molecules to remain stable enough to float, reflect light, and please. These same properties allow the inverse to occur. Soap molecules surround a hydrophobic mass (e.g., the hamburger grease on your shirt) and solubilize it into small micelles which are then carried away in the surrounding water.
