Oil dispersants

Okay kiddo, so you know how sometimes there are big spills of oil in the ocean? It's really bad for the fish and other animals because the oil can stick to their skin and make it hard for them to breathe or eat.

Well, there are people called "responders" who try to clean up the oil. One thing they can use is called an oil dispersant.

A dispersant is kind of like soap that you use to wash your hands, but instead of washing away dirt, it breaks up the oil into tiny pieces. This makes it easier for the waves and the wind to move the oil around and break it down into smaller pieces that can be eaten by tiny creatures in the ocean.

Now, it's important to know that using dispersants isn't always the best choice. Sometimes it's better to let the oil float on the surface so that it can be skimmed off. But if the oil is in a really sensitive area, like near a beach or a coral reef, then using dispersants can be a good way to protect the animals there.

So there you have it, oil dispersants are like soap for oil spills that break up the oil into tiny pieces so it can be eaten by tiny creatures in the ocean.