ATAR Notes: Forum
VCE Stuff => VCE Science => VCE Mathematics/Science/Technology => VCE Subjects + Help => VCE Chemistry => Topic started by: TheAspiringDoc on June 06, 2018, 05:04:59 pm
-
I think I've figured out a more useful example for optical isomers than the hand one:
American vs. Australian cars.
Explaining the carality: while they are mirror images of each other, there is no way that you could rotate one so that it could be exactly like the other, because the drivers seat is differently oriented.
Explaining why they have the same physical properties: well, patriotism aside, the same car will go the same speed regardless of which side the seat is on; even though the engines are mirror images, they're still the same engine
Explaining different chemical properties: chemical properties are about interactions between the molecules, and hence, are different: and American car couldn't go through an Australian McDonald's Drive-through. Similarly, enantiomers need different enzymes. (which are also enantiomers of their mirror enzyme)
Does this make sense? Is it true what I'm saying? I'm not sure whether the bit in blue is true, in particular.