Illustrated Glossary of Organic Chemistry
Optical activity:
The process of rotating the vibrational plane of
plane polarized light
.
Plane polarized light
Original plane of vibration
Plane polarized light
passes through
optically active
liquid.
Plane polarized light
Plane of vibration shifted
Related terms:
Optically inactive
,
dextrorotatory
,
(+)
,
d
,
D
,
levorotatory
,
(-)
,
l
,
L
,
polarimetry
,
polarimeter
,
specific rotation
,
mutarotation
,
chiral
,
achiral
Wikipedia entry
Return to glossary index