North Carolina Barber Practice Exam

Surfactant molecules are composed of hydrophilic (water-attracting) and hydrophobic (water-repelling) properties. The head of a surfactant molecule is hydrophilic, meaning it is attracted to water molecules. This allows the surfactant molecule to break up or disperse substances such as oil and dirt, which are typically hydrophobic and have difficulty mixing with water. Air does not have the same properties as water, thus surfactant molecules are not attracted to it.