chirality

/ kaɪˈrælɪtɪ /

noun

1. Also called: dissymmetry. the configuration or handedness (left or right) of an asymmetric, optically active chemical compound

chirality

1. The characteristic of a structure (usually a molecule) that makes it impossible to superimpose it on its mirror image.

2. Also called handedness

3. See also helicity invariance optical isomer

Other Word Forms

• chiral adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of chirality¹

C19: from Greek kheir hand + _-al ¹ + _-ity

Example Sentences

As it happens, many aspects of life exhibit chirality, or “handedness.”

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Chirality in molecules means they have a specific orientation in space such that the mirror image of the molecule in question cannot be perfectly superimposed on the original.

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So if you were to engineer synthetic mirror image versions of these, the amino acids would have right-handed chirality and the DNA would have left-handed chirality.

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Specifically, they found that by introducing chirality into the organic layers -- i.e., making the carbon chains in those layers asymmetrical -- they could effectively maintain the same stiffness and thermal conductivity even when making substantial changes to the composition of the organic layers.

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Now, researchers at Penn State have made the material potentially more useful by imparting chirality -- or handedness -- on it, which could make for advanced sensors and implantable medical devices.

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