Surface Tension: A Definition

The force acting on the surface of a liquid, tending to minimize the area of the surface; quantitatively, the force that appears to act across a line of unit length on the surface. Also known as interfacial force; interfacial tension; surface tensity.

Surfactants act to reduce the surface tension of a liquid. The surface tension of water is 72 dyne/cm; a surfactant can reduce this to a value in the range of 30-50 dyne/cm.
 

For books on surfactants and their applications, click here.

For more information on surfactants, see the Surfactants Virtual Library.