TX Barber Scientific Concepts Flashcards
7 cards from real TX BAR practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 TX Barber Scientific Concepts flashcards as text
The arrector pili muscle, found in the dermis, is responsible for:
Answer: Contracting to cause the hair to stand upright (goosebumps)
The arrector pili is a small smooth muscle attached to the hair follicle; when it contracts in response to cold or fear, it causes the hair to stand erect, creating 'goosebumps.'
During the telogen phase of the hair growth cycle, the hair follicle is in which state?
Answer: Resting, with the hair retained in the follicle before shedding
Telogen is the resting phase of the hair cycle, lasting approximately 2–3 months, during which the follicle is dormant and the club hair is retained until it is shed or pushed out by a new anagen hair.
Which vitamin deficiency is most directly linked to poor wound healing and compromised collagen synthesis in the skin?
Answer: Vitamin C (ascorbic acid)
Vitamin C is an essential cofactor for collagen synthesis — it is required for the hydroxylation of proline and lysine in collagen formation, and deficiency leads to poor wound healing (scurvy).
In chemistry, an atom or molecule that readily accepts a hydrogen ion (proton) and raises pH when dissolved in water is classified as a:
Answer: Base (alkali)
A base (alkali) is a proton acceptor — when dissolved in water, it accepts hydrogen ions (H+), reducing their concentration and raising pH above 7.
The cranial nerve that controls the primary muscles of facial expression, relevant to barbers during facial massage, is the:
Answer: Facial nerve (CN VII)
The facial nerve (cranial nerve VII) innervates the muscles of facial expression including the orbicularis oculi, zygomaticus, and orbicularis oris muscles.
The emulsification process in shampoos occurs because surfactant molecules have a hydrophilic (water-loving) head and a hydrophobic (oil-loving) tail, allowing them to:
Answer: Surround oil and sebum in micelles that are rinsed away with water
Surfactant molecules arrange around oil particles with hydrophobic tails pointing inward (toward the oil) and hydrophilic heads pointing outward, forming micelles that suspend oils in water for rinsing.
Hyperhidrosis, a condition relevant to barbers when performing hand and arm treatments, refers to:
Answer: Excessive sweating beyond what is needed for thermoregulation
Hyperhidrosis is a condition of excessive, uncontrollable sweating that occurs beyond the body's normal thermoregulatory needs, and can affect the hands, feet, and underarms.