What is optical activity in stereochemistry?
Also know, what is optical activity in organic chemistry?
Optical activity describes the phenomenon by which chiral molecules are observed to rotate polarized light in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction. This rotation is a result of the properties inherent in the interaction between light and the individual molecules through which it passes.
Likewise, how do you know if a stereoisomer is optically active? As simple as that. Now, if it's unsymmetrical then check for chiral or asymmetric carbon atoms(carbons attached to four different groups). If it contains chiral carbons then its optically active. The final and the most important test is that the molecule should be non-superimposable on its mirror image.
Accordingly, what are the conditions for optical activity?
Explanation: Most important necessary condition to be optically active compound is " compound contain asymmetric carbon , they have non-superimposable mirror image . compound rotate either clockwise or anticlockwise direction."
What is chirality and optical activity?
Chirality is a property of a molecule that results from its structure. Optical activity is a macroscopic property of a collection of these molecules that arises from the way they interact with light. One enantiomer of these chiral compounds is dextrorotatory; the other is levorotatory.