Iowa Nail Tech Practice Exam 2026 - Free Nail Technician Practice Questions and Study Guide

In the context of UV gel, the term that describes a short chain of monomers that has halted in growth is "oligomer." Oligomers are larger than monomers but are not fully polymerized, meaning they consist of a small number of repeating units. In this case, they represent a structure that is intermediate between a single monomer and a larger polymer.

When UV gel is exposed to UV light, it initiates a chemical reaction that causes the monomers to link together, forming a polymer. However, if this process is interrupted or if the chain of monomers does not continue to grow, the resulting structure will be an oligomer. This characteristic is crucial in the formulation of UV gels, as oligomers provide the necessary viscosity and handling properties before fully curing into a solid polymer upon complete exposure to UV light.

The other terms do not apply in this context. A polymer refers to a long chain of repeating units, which would imply that the growth has not halted. A monomer, by definition, is a single unit that has not yet linked with others. A copolymer consists of two or more different types of monomers that have reacted together, which also indicates a completed polymerization process. Thus, the correct identification