With exothermic perms an _____________ Is mixed with perm solution to create heat through a chemical reaction.

With exothermic perms an _____________ Is mixed with perm solution to create heat through a chemical reaction.

• A. Additive
• B. Catalyst
• C. Activator
• D. Inhibitor

Answer: (A)

In an exothermic perm, heat comes from a chemical reaction that occurs when a component mixed with the perm solution interacts with it. That component is described as an additive, which is added to the perm solution to trigger the reaction. As this additive reacts with the reducing agents in the solution, heat is released internally, warming the mixture and helping to break and then reform the hair’s disulfide bonds more quickly and evenly. This built‑in heat generation is what characterizes the exothermic process and reduces the need for external heat sources. The other terms don’t fit as naturally in this context: a catalyst would speed up a reaction but isn’t the standard descriptor for what’s mixed in to produce heat in this scenario; an activator is often the specific component that starts the reaction in many kits, but the wording here points to the additive as the introduced item; an inhibitor would slow or prevent the reaction, which is contrary to the goal of an exothermic perm.

In an exothermic perm, heat comes from a chemical reaction that occurs when a component mixed with the perm solution interacts with it. That component is described as an additive, which is added to the perm solution to trigger the reaction. As this additive reacts with the reducing agents in the solution, heat is released internally, warming the mixture and helping to break and then reform the hair’s disulfide bonds more quickly and evenly. This built‑in heat generation is what characterizes the exothermic process and reduces the need for external heat sources.

The other terms don’t fit as naturally in this context: a catalyst would speed up a reaction but isn’t the standard descriptor for what’s mixed in to produce heat in this scenario; an activator is often the specific component that starts the reaction in many kits, but the wording here points to the additive as the introduced item; an inhibitor would slow or prevent the reaction, which is contrary to the goal of an exothermic perm.