Question

When you use a hair straightener, while straightening your hairs, it breaks down your hairs due to:
A.) Electrostatic bonds
B.) Hydrogen bonds
C.) Ionic bonds
D.) Covalent bonds

Answer 1

The hairs are generally curled because of the formation of hydrogen bonds between the hairs and when we use hair straightener for the straightening of the hairs then these hydrogen bonds get broken.

Complete step by step answer:
Basically, our hair has three layers these are- the cuticle, cortex and medulla. Here the cuticle is the outermost layer of the hair which looks like the skin of the snake. Its function is to protect the cortex and inner layer of our hair. The cortex is the most important part of the hair which is made up of protein which is named as Keratin. The cortex layer of the hair determines the elasticity in the hair, strength of the hairs, color and the texture of our hair. The medulla is the layer present inside the cortex of the hair.
The hairs contain hydrogen bonds which are present within our hairs keratin that is in the cortex. The hair straightener works by changing the shape of the hairs. The curly hairs generally contain hydrogen bonds in them that is the curl in the hairs is due to presence of the hydrogen bonds. Therefore, the hair straightener straightens our hairs by breaking these hydrogen bonds present in the cortex layer of the hair. In order to break the hydrogen bonds, you have to be able to get past your cuticle, into the cortex. This can cause a lot of damage to the hairs and finally can result in breakdown of the hair.
As we know that the hair straightener, straightens the hair by breaking the hydrogen bonds.

Hence, option B.) is the correct answer.

Note: Remember that after the straightening of the hairs by hair straightener when hair is exposed to moisture or when dry or cools, then these hydrogen bonds start to reform and again take the shape of the hair in which they were before.