Medical Device Reprocessing Association of Ontario (MDRAO) Practice Exam

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What is the purpose of a surfactant?

  1. To increase surface tension of liquids

  2. To trap and suspend dirt particles

  3. To lower surface tension of liquids

  4. To emulsify fat particles

The correct answer is: To lower surface tension of liquids

The purpose of a surfactant is to lower the surface tension of liquids. This property is crucial in various applications, particularly in cleaning and disinfection processes. By decreasing surface tension, surfactants allow liquids to spread more easily over surfaces and penetrate into surfaces more effectively, which enhances the ability to remove dirt, grease, and other contaminants. Furthermore, surfactants facilitate interactions between liquids and solids, improving the performance of cleaning agents. This also helps in stabilizing emulsions, making them more effective in removing substances that are otherwise difficult to clean due to high surface tensions. Thus, their role in reducing surface tension is fundamental to their function in many medical and industrial applications.