If more surfactant is added, solubilization of oil into water (transparent liquid) may result

How does a surfactant reduce surface tension?

A typical surfactant molecule has two groups with properties of opposite nature :

The two portions of the surfactant molecule are able to link together two dissimilar phases. What happens when a surfactant is added to an oil/water system?

Water in oil emulsions occur thus linking two phases

Soil on cloth Dirt + oil (from perspiration) This is trapped in micelles when a detergent (surfactant) is added. It is emulsified and washed off. Surface tension is measured in dyne/cm.

Hg (mercury) has s.t. of 475 dyne/cm H2O (Water) has s.t. of 72 dyne/cm