Final answer:
To dry and harden gel nails, a UV or LED lamp is used to cure the gel polish, which contains polymers that react under the specific light to become solid.
Step-by-step explanation:
To dry and harden gel nails, a specific type of light is used, commonly from a UV (ultraviolet) or LED (light-emitting diode) lamp. The process of drying and curing the gel is referred to as 'curing,' and it is essential as part of the gel manicure process. Gel nail polish contains polymers that harden when exposed to specific wavelengths of light. Once the gel is applied to the nails, they are placed under the lamp for a period, allowing the gel to cure and harden.
This process is similar to how certain resins or adhesives cure when reacted with hardeners or exposed to the right conditions. For example, epoxy resins may be cured using catalytic homopolymerisation or reaction with co-reactants known as curatives. Similarly, commercial products like pectin and canned heat involve gel formation or hardening reactions that require specific conditions or ingredients to set.