Stereochemistry We live in a three dimensional world. Many familiar objects like our gloves look the same at first glance, but if we put them on the wrong hand, we notice a difference.
Chemists are concerned about the handedness of molecules.
One way chemists look at three dimensional objects is to compare the object with its mirror image. Consider a pencil. Click image for a video examining the relationship of the pencil with its mirror image. Let's also examine the relationship of a human hand and a snail shell with their mirror images. Click image for a video examining the relationship of the hand with its mirror image.