Final answer:
An alkaline wave is the permanent wave with a pH-balance of 9.0-9.6, utilizing ammonium thioglycolate, and is identified by its basic nature on the pH scale.
Step-by-step explanation:
The permanent wave with a pH-balance of 9.0-9.6 is an alkaline wave. Alkaline waves, also known as cold waves, typically use ammonium thioglycolate as the active chemical, which has an alkaline pH and is efficient in breaking the disulfide bonds of the hair to change its curl pattern. Since the pH scale measures how acidic or basic a substance is, with levels below 7 being acidic, around 7 being neutral, and above 7 being alkaline (basic), we can determine that a pH of 9.0-9.6 indicates an alkaline substance.