ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

F number (chemistry)

F number is a way to measure how well a substance can kill germs or bacteria. It's kind of like a superhero power that some cleaning agents have. The higher the F number, the stronger the cleaning agent's superpower is.

Think of it like this - if a cleaning agent has an F number of 2, it can kill 99% of germs. But if it has an F number of 4, it can kill 99.99% of germs! That's a really strong cleaning agent!

Scientists use F number to figure out which cleaning agents are the best at killing germs. They put different substances to the test and measure their F number to see which one is the most powerful.

So next time you're cleaning something really dirty, look for a cleaning agent with a high F number. It will be like having a superhero on your side!