Chirality

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''For the manga by Satoshi Urushihara, see Chirality (manga).

Chirality, or "handedness", (Greek, χειρ, kheir: "hand") is a property of asymmetry important in several branches of science.

An object or a system is called chiral if it differs from its mirror image, and its mirror image cannot be superposed on the original object. A chiral object and its mirror image are called enantiomorphs (Greek opposite forms) or, when referring to molecules, enantiomers. A non-chiral object is called achiral (sometimes also amphichiral) and can be superposed on its mirror image.

Chirality may also refer to:

Chirality (chemistry) of some molecules
Chirality (mathematics) of mathematical objects
Chirality (physics) of some subatomic particles
The chirality of certain crystalline solids. Of the 230 existing space groups 65 are chiral. Sodium chlorate is an achiral ionic compound but crystallizes in a chiral P2₁3 space group. An example of an achiral organic compound forming chiral crystals is benzil. Racemic acid is the racemic form of tartaric acid forming a mixture of two enantiomorphic crystals each form consisting of one of the two enantiomers.
The chirality of surfaces. Materials with bulk chirality can be cleaved exposing a chiral surface.
Chirality (biology) of gastropod shells. Most spirally coiled gastropod shells are "right-handed" in their coiling, but a minority are "left-handed".
Chirality (manga)

Chirality

See also