Surfactants, also known as surface-active agents, are compounds that lower the surface tension between two liquids, a gas and a liquid, or a liquid and a solid. They possess both hydrophobic water-repellent and hydrophilic water-attracting properties, which enable them to interact with both polar and non-polar substances.The structure of a surfactant molecule typically consists of a hydrophilic head and a hydrophobic tail. The hydrophilic head is attracted to water, while the hydrophobic tail is repelled by water and attracted to non-polar substances like oils and fats.When surfactants are added to a liquid, they orient themselves at the liquid-air interface with their hydrophilic heads facing the water and their hydrophobic tails facing the air. This arrangement disrupts the hydrogen bonding between water molecules, reducing the surface tension of the liquid. As a result, the liquid can more easily spread and mix with other substances.In the case of increasing the solubility of non-polar substances in water, surfactants play a crucial role by forming micelles. Micelles are spherical structures formed when the hydrophobic tails of surfactant molecules cluster together in the center, while the hydrophilic heads face outward, interacting with the surrounding water. Non-polar substances can be trapped within the hydrophobic core of the micelle, effectively increasing their solubility in water.The effectiveness of a surfactant in reducing surface tension and increasing solubility of non-polar substances depends on the balance between its hydrophobic and hydrophilic properties. A surfactant with a larger hydrophobic tail will be more effective at solubilizing non-polar substances, while a surfactant with a more polar head will be better at reducing surface tension.In summary, the hydrophobic and hydrophilic properties of surfactants affect their ability to reduce surface tension in a liquid and increase the solubility of non-polar substances in water by allowing them to interact with both polar and non-polar substances, disrupting hydrogen bonding between water molecules, and forming micelles to solubilize non-polar substances.