the effectiveness of a medium to adsorb to a particle is influenced by the relationship between the surfaces of both materials. there are multiple factors that affect the efficiency of adsorption in chemical, thermodynamic, and physical domains. these factors can range from surface energy and polarity to the shape, size, and roughness of the particle. in froth flotation, adsorption is a strong consequence of surface energy, since the small particles have a high surface area to size ratio, resulting in higher energy surfaces to form attractions with adsorbates. the air bubbles must selectively adhere to the desired minerals to elevate them to the surface of the slurry while wetting the other minerals and leaving them in the aqueous slurry medium.