Detergent and Surfactant Effects
Detergent and Surfactant Effects is how soap and cleaning agents change water and harm or help living things like plants.
Think of it this way
Drop a small amount of dish soap into a glass of water. The soap molecules line up at the surface, with one end pulling toward water and the other pushing away. This breaks the water's tight surface layer, letting it spread and soak into things it normally would not. In nature, when soap washes into a pond, it breaks down the thin film that small insects and plants depend on.
Explaining detergent and surfactant effects by grade level
Soap makes water feel slick. If you pour soapy water on a plant, it can hurt the plant. The soap gets into the soil and roots. Clean water is much safer for plants.