A surfactant is an interfacially active substance that changes surface tension. A concentration gradient therefore generates tangential Marangoni stress.
Surfactant, short for surface-active agent, is a substance that reduces surface tension in liquids. Surfactants are typically amphiphilic molecules, meaning they have both hydrophilic (water-attracting) and hydrophobic (water-repelling) parts. This unique structure allows them to accumulate at interfaces, such as between air and water or oil and water, altering the properties of the surface.
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