https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.A00302
The property of surface activity is usually due to the fact that the molecules of the substance are amphipathic or @[email protected], meaning that each contains both a @[email protected] and a hydrophobic (@[email protected]) group. This assumes that one of the two phases is aqueous, and the other non-aqueous. If both are non-aqueous (e.g. oil/air), molecules containing organophilic and organophobic groups may be amphipathic and surface active.