plane polarised light

• optically active isomers will rotate plane polarised light

  this is a method of detecting optically active compound
• plane polarised light

  light that only oscillates in one direction
• one enantiomer will rotate polarised light clockwise and the other anticlockwise

  however they will both rotate it at the same degree
• racemates

  equal amount of each enantiomer in a racemic mixture
• racemates do not rotate polarised light

  this is because when the 2 enantiomers rotate they cancel each other out
• racemic mixture can be made by reacting achiral substances together