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AR Nail Technician study materials
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AR Nail Technician practice questions

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Question 1Infection Control, Sanitation, and Safety

How long should a nail technician lather the hands with soap and warm water during routine hand washing?

  1. At least 20 seconds Correct answer.
  2. At least 10 minutes
  3. At least 2 minutes
  4. At least 5 seconds

Explanation

Routine hand washing should last about 20 seconds, with friction covering all surfaces of the hands, wrists, and between the fingers. This is the accepted minimum for removing transient microorganisms in a personal-service setting.

Question 2Infection Control, Sanitation, and Safety

Which term describes the process of using a chemical to destroy most microorganisms on a nonporous item, although bacterial spores may survive?

  1. Decontamination
  2. Sterilization
  3. Disinfection Correct answer.
  4. Sanitation

Explanation

Disinfection uses an EPA-registered chemical to destroy most pathogenic organisms on nonporous surfaces, but it does not reliably destroy bacterial spores. Sanitation merely reduces the number of organisms, while sterilization destroys spores as well.

Question 3Infection Control, Sanitation, and Safety

Before a reusable metal nipper is placed in disinfectant solution, it must first be:

  1. Soaked in hot water for at least one minute
  2. Wrapped in a clean paper towel
  3. Scrubbed with soap and water and dried Correct answer.
  4. Rinsed in cold water and left wet

Explanation

Disinfectants work only on surfaces that are free of debris, oil, and skin residue, so implements must be cleaned with soap and water and dried first. Skipping this step leaves a film that shields microorganisms from the chemical.

Question 4Infection Control, Sanitation, and Safety

A porous nail file has been used on a client and cannot be disinfected. What should be done with it?

  1. Discarded in a closed waste container Correct answer.
  2. Placed back in the drawer for the next client
  3. Stored in a covered jar with clean tools
  4. Wiped with a dry towel and reused

Explanation

Porous items absorb liquids and cannot be reliably cleaned and disinfected, so they are treated as single-use and discarded after each client. Storing or reusing them spreads client material to the next person.

Question 5Infection Control, Sanitation, and Safety

A nail technician should wear disposable gloves during which situation?

  1. While applying a base coat to the nail plate
  2. When blood or body fluids may be present Correct answer.
  3. While shaping a plastic nail tip
  4. While filing the natural nail to length

Explanation

Gloves are required whenever the technician may contact blood, body fluids, or non-intact skin, because these are the routes for bloodborne pathogen transmission. Routine filing or polishing of intact nails does not involve those fluids.

Question 6Infection Control, Sanitation, and Safety

What should a technician do immediately after removing gloves worn during a service?

  1. Wash hands with soap and warm water Correct answer.
  2. Wipe hands on the client's towel
  3. Spray hands with implement disinfectant
  4. Apply hand lotion

Explanation

Gloves can develop tiny tears, so hands must be washed with soap and warm water immediately after removal. Disinfectant intended for implements is not formulated for skin.

Question 7Infection Control, Sanitation, and Safety

How should disinfected implements be stored between clients?

  1. In a drawer with used files
  2. On an open towel on the workstation
  3. In a clean, covered container Correct answer.
  4. In a container of tap water

Explanation

Disinfected implements must be kept in a clean, closed container so dust, spills, and airborne organisms cannot recontaminate them. Exposure to the open workstation or shared storage defeats the disinfection process.

Question 8Infection Control, Sanitation, and Safety

A metal pusher falls on the floor in the middle of a manicure. What is the correct action?

  1. Clean and disinfect it before using it again Correct answer.
  2. Wipe it with a tissue and continue the service
  3. Rinse it under the faucet and continue
  4. Use it only on the client's toenails

Explanation

Anything that contacts the floor is considered contaminated and must be cleaned and then disinfected before it touches a client again. A quick wipe or rinse does not remove or kill microorganisms.

Question 9Infection Control, Sanitation, and Safety

A disinfectant label requires the implement to stay wet for 10 minutes, but the technician removes it after 30 seconds. What is the likely result?

  1. The implement is sterilized
  2. The implement is safe for the next client
  3. Pathogens may survive on the implement Correct answer.
  4. The disinfectant becomes stronger

Explanation

Each disinfectant has a required contact time, and the chemical must remain wet on the surface for that full period to achieve its kill claim. Removing the item early leaves surviving organisms on the tool.

Question 10Infection Control, Sanitation, and Safety

Which label information confirms a surface product is suitable for killing HIV and hepatitis B on salon surfaces?

  1. Biodegradable and eco-friendly formula
  2. Dermatologist tested for sensitive skin
  3. EPA hospital disinfectant registration Correct answer.
  4. Fragrance-free formula

Explanation

Products must carry an EPA registration as a hospital disinfectant, with efficacy claims for HIV and hepatitis B, to be used on surfaces contaminated with blood or body fluids. Marketing terms such as fragrance-free or biodegradable say nothing about microbial kill.

Question 11Infection Control, Sanitation, and Safety

A technician is cut by a nipper that was just used on a client. What should the technician do first?

  1. Apply acrylic monomer to the cut
  2. Finish the service, then clean the cut
  3. Wash the cut with soap and warm water Correct answer.
  4. Ask the client whether they have hepatitis

Explanation

After an exposure incident, the wound should be washed promptly with soap and warm water to reduce the chance of infection, and the incident should then be reported and medical follow-up sought. Questioning the client does not substitute for prompt wound care.

Question 12Infection Control, Sanitation, and Safety

Under bloodborne pathogens rules, who must be offered the hepatitis B vaccine at no cost?

  1. Clients who request the vaccine in writing
  2. Only licensed cosmetologists
  3. Workers exposed to blood on the job Correct answer.
  4. Only the salon owner

Explanation

Employers must offer the hepatitis B vaccination free of charge to employees who have occupational exposure to blood or other potentially infectious material. The offer is not limited by license type, ownership, or client request.

Question 13Infection Control, Sanitation, and Safety

Where should a technician look for first-aid and safe handling information about a salon disinfectant?

  1. The product's safety data sheet Correct answer.
  2. The client's service record
  3. The product invoice
  4. The salon appointment book

Explanation

The safety data sheet supplied by the manufacturer lists hazards, safe handling practices, and first-aid measures for the product. Employers must keep these sheets accessible to workers.

Question 14Infection Control, Sanitation, and Safety

How should a pedicure foot basin be treated after each client?

  1. Refilled with warm water for the next client
  2. Sprayed with air freshener and covered
  3. Drained, cleaned, and disinfected Correct answer.
  4. Rinsed and wiped with a dry towel

Explanation

Basins must be drained, cleaned with soap and water to remove debris, and then treated with an EPA-registered disinfectant used for the labeled contact time. Residual water or debris shields organisms from the disinfectant.

Question 15Infection Control, Sanitation, and Safety

Why can a porous item such as a buffer block not be safely disinfected for reuse on another client?

  1. They melt when soaked in disinfectant
  2. They absorb liquid and trap microbes Correct answer.
  3. They cost too much to soak
  4. They become too rough to file nails

Explanation

Porous materials draw liquids, skin cells, and microorganisms into the interior, where a disinfectant cannot reliably reach them. Such items are therefore single-use and must be discarded or given to the client.

Question 16Infection Control, Sanitation, and Safety

A disinfectant jar is cloudy and contains visible debris. What is the correct practice?

  1. Strain the debris out and continue using it
  2. Add fresh disinfectant on top of the old solution
  3. Add water to dilute the visible debris
  4. Discard it and refill with fresh solution Correct answer.

Explanation

Disinfectant must be replaced when it becomes visibly dirty or cloudy, because organic matter inactivates the chemical. The jar itself should be cleaned before fresh solution is added.

Question 17Infection Control, Sanitation, and Safety

A disinfectant label specifies an exact dilution ratio. Using a stronger concentration than directed may:

  1. Make the solution sterile
  2. Make it gentler on the skin
  3. Irritate skin and damage implements Correct answer.
  4. Shorten the required contact time

Explanation

Concentrations above the label instruction do not speed up the kill claim and can corrode metal tools, harm surfaces, and irritate the technician's skin. The label contact time still applies at the proper dilution.

Question 18Infection Control, Sanitation, and Safety

Which practice is safest when using an electric nail drill?

  1. Plugging several devices into one adapter
  2. Using the drill with wet hands
  3. Draping the cord across a wet floor
  4. Inspecting the cord and plug before each use Correct answer.

Explanation

Cords and plugs should be checked for cracks, fraying, and loose connections before each use, and damaged equipment should be removed from service. Water contact and overloaded outlets raise the risk of shock and fire.

Question 19Infection Control, Sanitation, and Safety

Which measure best protects a technician from inhaling nail dust while filing acrylics?

  1. Wearing a wrist support brace
  2. Spraying air freshener near the table
  3. Working faster to shorten exposure
  4. Local exhaust ventilation plus a dust mask Correct answer.

Explanation

Source capture at the work area combined with a properly fitted dust mask reduces inhalation of fine acrylic and nail dust. Speed, wrist supports, and fragrance do nothing to reduce airborne particles.

Question 20Infection Control, Sanitation, and Safety

A client removes a shoe and one toenail is red, swollen, and draining pus. How should the technician respond?

  1. Refer the client to a physician Correct answer.
  2. Soak the toe and apply polish
  3. File the nail thinner to relieve pressure
  4. Wipe the toe with cuticle remover

Explanation

Signs of infection such as redness, swelling, pain, and discharge are a contraindication for nail services, and the client should be sent to a physician. Servicing the area could spread infection and delay medical care.

Question 21Infection Control, Sanitation, and Safety

Which statement correctly distinguishes sterilization from disinfection?

  1. The two terms are interchangeable in salon practice
  2. Disinfection destroys bacterial spores as well as viruses
  3. Sterilization kills all microbial life, spores included Correct answer.
  4. Sterilization is required for every implement used in a salon

Explanation

Sterilization destroys all forms of microbial life, including highly resistant bacterial spores, while disinfection destroys most pathogens but not necessarily spores. Only sterilization achieves spore kill.

Question 22Infection Control, Sanitation, and Safety

A technician disinfects the nippers, then reaches into the container with bare hands to pick one out. Why is this a problem?

  1. The disinfectant contact time is no longer being met
  2. The implements are re-contaminated by the technician's hands Correct answer.
  3. The implements lose their sharp edge and must be replaced
  4. The disinfectant loses potency as soon as the lid is opened

Explanation

Hands carry microorganisms, so touching disinfected tools with bare hands immediately recontaminates them and breaks the infection-control chain. Clean tools should be removed with clean gloves, tongs, or by pouring them out.

Question 23Infection Control, Sanitation, and Safety

A client bleeds onto the manicure table during a service. Which response follows correct infection-control practice?

  1. Wipe the blood up with a dry towel and continue
  2. Gloves on, absorb the spill, clean, then disinfect Correct answer.
  3. Cover the spill with a towel and finish the service
  4. Spray disinfectant on the blood and wipe with bare hands

Explanation

Blood spills require gloves, absorption of the fluid, cleaning of the surface, and application of an EPA-registered hospital disinfectant with a bloodborne pathogen claim for the labeled contact time. Bare-hand contact and merely covering the spill leave a contaminated work surface.

Question 24Infection Control, Sanitation, and Safety

Which sequence correctly describes handling reusable metal implements after a service?

  1. Dry, disinfect, clean, store in a drawer
  2. Clean, rinse, dry, disinfect, store covered Correct answer.
  3. Rinse, store covered, disinfect before next use
  4. Disinfect, clean, dry, store covered

Explanation

Implements are first cleaned of debris with soap and water, rinsed, and dried so the disinfectant can reach the surface, then soaked for the full contact time and stored in a clean covered container. Cleaning after disinfection would recontaminate the tool.

Question 25Infection Control, Sanitation, and Safety

A product labeled only as a sanitizer is used on nippers between clients. Why is this inadequate?

  1. They may not kill bloodborne pathogens Correct answer.
  2. They are unsafe to use on metal implements
  3. They leave a film on the implements
  4. They stop working once the jar is opened

Explanation

Sanitizers reduce the number of bacteria on a surface but are not required to destroy bloodborne pathogens, so they do not meet the standard for salon implements. Reusable implements need an EPA-registered hospital disinfectant with a bloodborne pathogen claim.

Question 26Infection Control, Sanitation, and Safety

For how long should a nail technician lather and scrub their hands with soap and water during routine handwashing?

  1. At least 2 seconds
  2. No minimum; a quick rinse is enough
  3. At least 5 minutes
  4. At least 20 seconds Correct answer.

Explanation

Routine handwashing should last at least 20 seconds, with soap worked over the palms, backs, wrists, between the fingers, and under the nails. That contact time is what lifts and rinses away transient microorganisms picked up from clients and tools. Hands are then dried with a clean paper towel, which can be used to turn off the faucet.

Question 27Infection Control, Sanitation, and Safety

How should nail clippings and used tissues be handled at the end of a service?

  1. Swept onto the floor and vacuumed at closing
  2. Placed in a lined waste container with a lid Correct answer.
  3. Flushed down the pedicure basin
  4. Left on the table for the next technician to clear

Explanation

Service debris should be discarded promptly into a waste receptacle lined with a plastic bag and kept covered, so staff never pick it up by hand. Waste that contains blood or body fluids needs an additional sealed bag before disposal. Debris left on the table contaminates the station and can be spread to the next client.

Question 28Infection Control, Sanitation, and Safety

Why must an implement be scrubbed with soap and water before it is placed in a disinfectant solution?

  1. Scrubbing alone kills all bacteria and viruses on the tool
  2. Dirt and oil shield germs from the disinfectant Correct answer.
  3. Soap activates the active ingredients in the disinfectant solution
  4. Warm water makes the disinfectant solution work faster

Explanation

Cleaning is a required first step because organic matter such as oil, skin cells, and blood shields microorganisms and can inactivate the disinfectant. A tool placed in the solution while still soiled will not be properly disinfected no matter how long it soaks. Cleaning removes the debris; the disinfectant then does the killing.

Question 29Infection Control, Sanitation, and Safety

What personal protective equipment should a technician wear when measuring and pouring a disinfectant concentrate?

  1. No protection if the product is diluted right away
  2. Gloves and safety glasses Correct answer.
  3. A face mask only
  4. A long-sleeved shirt only

Explanation

Concentrates are corrosive or irritating until diluted, and splashes are most likely during pouring and measuring. Gloves protect the hands and safety glasses protect the eyes, which have no barrier of their own. The manufacturer's label and safety data sheet specify the protection required for that product.

Question 30Infection Control, Sanitation, and Safety

An implement is visibly contaminated with a client's blood. After cleaning, which level of product does it require?

  1. An alcohol wipe allowed to air dry
  2. A general-purpose sanitizer sold for food-contact surfaces
  3. A hospital-grade tuberculocidal disinfectant Correct answer.
  4. Detergent and warm water only

Explanation

Items that have contacted blood or other body fluids must be cleaned and then treated with an EPA-registered hospital-grade disinfectant carrying a tuberculocidal claim, or sterilized. The tuberculocidal claim matters because the organism that causes tuberculosis is more resistant than HIV and hepatitis viruses. A sanitizer or alcohol wipe does not meet this standard.

Question 31Infection Control, Sanitation, and Safety

What is the correct technique for removing disposable gloves after a service?

  1. Rinse both gloves under water, then slide them off
  2. Pull both gloves off together by the fingertips
  3. Remove the first glove by its outside and the second inside-out Correct answer.
  4. Take both gloves off by gripping the palm of each glove and pulling downward

Explanation

The exterior of a used glove is contaminated, so it must never touch bare skin. The first glove is peeled off by its outside surface, and then bare fingers slide under the cuff of the second glove to peel it off inside-out, trapping the contamination inside. Hands are washed immediately afterward.

Question 32Infection Control, Sanitation, and Safety

Which practice reduces the risk of electric shock at a manicure station?

  1. Running cords across the floor next to the pedicure basin
  2. Wiping a plugged-in drill with a damp cloth
  3. Unplugging a drill by pulling on its cord
  4. Using ground-fault circuit interrupter outlets and keeping cords dry Correct answer.

Explanation

Ground-fault circuit interrupter outlets cut power when current leaks, which is the key protection wherever water and electrical equipment share a space. Cords should be kept dry, inspected for damage, and routed away from basins and foot traffic. Equipment is unplugged by the plug, never by the cord.

Question 33Infection Control, Sanitation, and Safety

How should a reusable electric-file bit be handled after a service?

  1. Sprayed with disinfectant and returned to the drill while still wet
  2. Left on the handpiece and wiped with a dry paper towel after the service
  3. Cleaned with soap and water, then disinfected per the label Correct answer.
  4. Rinsed under running water and reused once visible dust is gone

Explanation

Bits collect fine dust and can hold debris in their grooves, so they must be removed, scrubbed clean, and then immersed or treated according to the disinfectant manufacturer's directions and the bit manufacturer's instructions. Wiping or rinsing alone does not disinfect. Bits should be dry before reuse so moisture does not corrode the handpiece.

Question 34Infection Control, Sanitation, and Safety

A technician has an oozing, uncovered sore on one hand. What should they do?

  1. Stop performing hand-contact services until the sore heals Correct answer.
  2. Cover the sore with a bandage and continue the service
  3. Wear two pairs of gloves and keep working
  4. Soak the hand in disinfectant between clients

Explanation

A small, dry cut can usually be covered with a bandage and glove, but an oozing or weeping lesion cannot be reliably contained and may shed pathogens onto tools and clients. The technician should be assigned duties away from client contact until the area has healed. Soaking in disinfectant does not treat the condition and damages the skin further.

Question 35Infection Control, Sanitation, and Safety

Which sequence is correct when cleaning up a small blood spill on the floor?

  1. Blot up the blood first and then wipe the area once with a dry paper towel
  2. Put on gloves, blot up the blood, clean the area, then disinfect it Correct answer.
  3. Spray disinfectant over the blood and let it air dry
  4. Disinfect the area first with a hospital-grade product, then blot up the blood

Explanation

Gloves go on first, visible material is absorbed with disposable towels, the area is cleaned with detergent and water, and only then is a hospital-grade disinfectant applied for its labeled contact time. Disinfectants cannot penetrate visible blood, so disinfecting before removal is ineffective. Contaminated towels go into a sealed bag before disposal.

Question 36Infection Control, Sanitation, and Safety

How should reusable cloth towels be handled after use on a client?

  1. Stored while still damp in a closed cabinet until laundry day
  2. Refreshed with a disinfectant spray between clients
  3. Washed in hot water with detergent before reuse Correct answer.
  4. Brushed clean and reused for the next client

Explanation

Cloth towels are porous and hold skin cells and moisture, so they must be laundered in hot water with detergent after each client and never reused straight from the station. Towels that cannot be laundered are treated as single-use and discarded. Damp storage encourages microbial growth, so clean towels are kept dry and separate from soiled ones.

Question 37Infection Control, Sanitation, and Safety

A technician's fingertips become itchy, cracked, and red after months of working with acrylic monomer. What is the most appropriate response?

  1. Wear gloves for a few days and see whether it clears
  2. Apply hand lotion nightly and continue working as before
  3. Stop using the product and seek medical evaluation Correct answer.
  4. Switch to another brand of monomer and continue

Explanation

Itching, cracking, and redness after repeated exposure suggest allergic contact dermatitis, a sensitization reaction that typically worsens with continued contact. The technician should stop exposure, get a medical evaluation, and afterward use appropriate gloves and ventilation rather than assume a different brand is safe. Barrier creams and lotions do not prevent sensitization.

Question 38Infection Control, Sanitation, and Safety

Which process destroys all microorganisms, including bacterial spores?

  1. Sterilization in an autoclave Correct answer.
  2. Disinfection with a hospital-grade product
  3. Sanitizing with soap and water
  4. Wiping with 70 percent isopropyl alcohol

Explanation

Sterilization destroys all microbial life, including the highly resistant bacterial spores that disinfectants may leave behind. Hospital-grade disinfection kills most pathogens but is not guaranteed to eliminate spores. Autoclaving with pressurized steam is the standard sterilization method for heat-tolerant metal implements.

Question 39Infection Control, Sanitation, and Safety

A salon keeps its nippers in a UV light cabinet between clients. Which statement is accurate?

  1. UV cabinets work well as long as the implements are wiped dry first
  2. UV cabinets are registered by the EPA as hospital-grade disinfectants
  3. UV cabinets reliably sterilize implements if they are left inside for at least 30 minutes
  4. UV cabinets do not reliably disinfect implements and cannot replace cleaning and disinfection Correct answer.

Explanation

UV light only reaches surfaces it can see, so shadowed areas such as the hinge and cutting edge of a nipper escape exposure and the cabinet cannot be relied on for disinfection. These units are storage devices, not a substitute for cleaning followed by an EPA-registered hospital-grade disinfectant. Bead sterilizers have the same limitation.

Question 40Infection Control, Sanitation, and Safety

Why do infection-control standards require treating every client's blood and body fluids as potentially infectious?

  1. Bloodborne viruses survive only a few seconds outside the body
  2. Carriers may have no symptoms or knowledge of their infection Correct answer.
  3. Only clients in known high-risk groups can transmit disease
  4. Clients are legally required to disclose any infection

Explanation

Standard precautions apply the same protective measures to every client because a person can carry hepatitis B, hepatitis C, or HIV for years without symptoms or awareness. Relying on disclosure or on assumptions about who is at risk fails to protect the technician and other clients. The rule is to treat all blood and body fluids as infectious regardless of appearance or history.

Question 41Anatomy and Physiology of the Hand, Arm, and Nail

Which protein forms the greatest part of the nail plate?

  1. Keratin Correct answer.
  2. Melanin
  3. Collagen
  4. Elastin

Explanation

The nail plate is made mostly of hard keratin, a fibrous protein that also forms hair and the outer layer of skin. Tightly packed keratin fibers give the nail its strength along with a slight natural flexibility.

Question 42Anatomy and Physiology of the Hand, Arm, and Nail

What is the pale, half-moon-shaped area visible at the base of the nail plate called?

  1. Onychodermal band
  2. Eponychium
  3. Hyponychium
  4. Lunula Correct answer.

Explanation

The lunula is the visible portion of the matrix at the proximal end of the nail. It looks paler because the cells there are still maturing and have not yet fully flattened and hardened.

Question 43Anatomy and Physiology of the Hand, Arm, and Nail

Which structure overlaps the base of the nail plate and helps seal it against moisture loss and infection?

  1. Free edge
  2. Matrix
  3. Cuticle Correct answer.
  4. Nail bed

Explanation

The cuticle is a thin, largely non-living layer that overlaps the proximal edge of the nail plate and forms a seal. Beneath it, the living proximal nail fold continues that protective barrier.

Question 44Anatomy and Physiology of the Hand, Arm, and Nail

The portion of the nail that projects beyond the fingertip is known as the:

  1. Nail plate
  2. Nail matrix
  3. Free edge Correct answer.
  4. Lunula

Explanation

The free edge is the extension of the nail plate past the fingertip and is the part filed and shaped during a service. No living tissue is attached beneath it.

Question 45Anatomy and Physiology of the Hand, Arm, and Nail

Which group of bones makes up the wrist?

  1. Phalanges
  2. Carpals Correct answer.
  3. Metacarpals
  4. Tarsals

Explanation

The wrist is formed by the carpal bones, eight small bones arranged in two rows. The rest of the hand is built from metacarpals in the palm and phalanges in the digits.

Question 46Anatomy and Physiology of the Hand, Arm, and Nail

Not counting the thumb, how many phalanges does each finger contain?

  1. Four
  2. Five
  3. Two
  4. Three Correct answer.

Explanation

Each finger has three phalanges: proximal, middle, and distal. The thumb has only two, which is why one hand contains fourteen phalanges in total.

Question 47Anatomy and Physiology of the Hand, Arm, and Nail

Fingernails grow at roughly 3 mm per month. About how much new growth would a client have after six months?

  1. 36 mm
  2. 18 mm Correct answer.
  3. 12 mm
  4. 6 mm

Explanation

Multiply the monthly rate by the number of months: 3 mm x 6 = 18 mm. This is why a fingernail usually takes about six months to be fully replaced.

Question 48Anatomy and Physiology of the Hand, Arm, and Nail

When a nail tip is applied, which structure directly supports the underside of the nail plate?

  1. Nail bed Correct answer.
  2. Nail matrix
  3. Cuticle
  4. Lunula

Explanation

The nail bed is the skin layer on which the nail plate rests and grows forward. It carries the blood and nerve supply that keep the plate nourished.

Question 49Anatomy and Physiology of the Hand, Arm, and Nail

Which structure is responsible for producing new nail cells?

  1. Lunula
  2. Hyponychium
  3. Nail bed
  4. Matrix Correct answer.

Explanation

The matrix is the living growth area at the base of the nail, where cells divide, harden, and push forward to become the plate. Injury there can permanently change the shape of the nail.

Question 50Anatomy and Physiology of the Hand, Arm, and Nail

The hyponychium is best described as the:

  1. Fold that overlaps the nail base
  2. Clear layer over the plate
  3. Skin seal beneath the free edge Correct answer.
  4. Half-moon at the nail base

Explanation

The hyponychium is a thickened area of skin beneath the free edge where the plate separates from the nail bed. It seals the space and helps keep debris and microorganisms out.