What is chirality?
Sometimes two molecules can exist as non-superimposable mirror-images. That is to say, the mirror image of a molecule cannot be exactly placed on top of the original molecule.
A good example of this is your hands: they are mirror images of one another, but cannot be exactly placed on top of each other.
Pairs of molecules that exhibit this property are known as enantiomers. When a carbon atom is bonded to four distinct groups, this is known as a chiral centre, and two enantiomers of this arrangement are seen.
PB
Related Chemistry A Level answers
All answers ▸Explain why phenol is nitrated more readily than benzene.
What causes a chemical reaction to happen?
A) What assumptions are made about ideal gases. B) if 14g of an ideal gas is added to a 4 dm3 container at 210Kpa pressure and a temperature of 40oc how many moles were added and suggest the identity of the gas.
Given the following equilibrium: H2O + H2O <-> H3O+ + OH- and the Kw = 10^-14, determine the concentration of OH- species after the addition of 1 mmol of HCl to 1 L of neutral water.