particles that can be easily wetted by water are called hydrophilic, while particles that are not easily wetted by water are called hydrophobic. hydrophobic particles have a tendency to form a separate phase in aqueous media. in froth flotation the effectiveness of an air bubble to adhere to a particle is based on how hydrophobic the particle is. hydrophobic particles have an affinity to air bubbles, leading to adsorption. the bubble-particle combinations are elevated to the froth zone driven by buoyancy forces.