There are many different physical interactions in this photo, one of which is the hydrophobic properties of oil. Due to the polarity of water, water will only bond to other water molecules, while also repelling the non-polar molecules of olive oil. The hydrophobic properties of oil force it to form spherical shapes on the surface of the water, as oil molecules are only attracted to themselves. Additionally, the dish soap in the water and oil mixture is both hydrophobic and hydrophilic. This means that one end of the soap molecule breaks down and encases the oil, while the other helps it dissolve in the water. This property allows the oil to break into smaller bubbles, seen to the right. The larger bubbles showcase the law of reflection, as the light source produces an incident ray of light which beams a reflected ray into the camera lens. Acting as the mirror, the distorted shape of the oil bubbles distorts the light rays from the source above.
One of the more subtle physical effects presented in this photo is thin-film interference. When light is shined down onto a transparent, usually thin and transparent layer of a material, some of the light reflects off the top, while some of it passes through and reflects off the bottom. The combination of these two light paths produces a symphony of colors, most notably found on the reflections of bubbles in the air. Although minor, this contributes to the variety of colors found in the photograph.