DEXTROROTARY Meaning and
Definition
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Dextrorotary is an adjective used primarily in the field of chemistry to describe the rotational direction of plane-polarized light when passing through a substance. It refers to the property of a substance to rotate the plane of polarization of light to the right or clockwise direction when viewed from the source towards the observer. The term is derived from the Latin word "dexter," meaning right or right-handed, and "rotatus," meaning to rotate.
Dextrorotary substances are those that cause the plane-polarized light to rotate in a clockwise direction. This rotation occurs due to the molecular structure of the substance, which results in the preferential rotation of the plane of polarized light. It is often denoted by the symbol (+) or the letter "d" as a prefix.
The opposite of dextrorotary is levorotary, which refers to substances that rotate the plane of polarization in the counterclockwise or left direction. Levorotary substances are denoted by the symbol (-) or the letter "l" as a prefix.
Dextrorotary and levorotary properties have important applications in various fields, including chemistry, biochemistry, pharmacology, and medicine. They are used in the identification and characterization of chiral compounds, which are molecules that exist in two non-superimposable mirror-image forms called enantiomers. Understanding the dextrorotary or levorotary nature of these compounds is crucial for studying their interactions, reactions, and physiological effects.
Common Misspellings for DEXTROROTARY
- sextrorotary
- xextrorotary
- cextrorotary
- fextrorotary
- rextrorotary
- eextrorotary
- dwxtrorotary
- dsxtrorotary
- ddxtrorotary
- drxtrorotary
- d4xtrorotary
- d3xtrorotary
- deztrorotary
- dectrorotary
- dedtrorotary
- destrorotary
- dexrrorotary
- dexfrorotary
- dexgrorotary
Etymology of DEXTROROTARY
The term "dextrorotary" is derived from combining two roots: "dextro-" and "rotary".
1. "Dextro-" comes from the Latin word "dexter", meaning "right". In English, "dextro-" is commonly used as a prefix to indicate something is oriented or turning right or clockwise, as opposed to "levo-" indicating left or counterclockwise.
2. "Rotary" relates to rotation or turning.
When these roots are combined, "dextrorotary" describes the property of a substance that rotates the plane of polarized light to the right or clockwise direction.
The term is particularly used in organic chemistry and biology to describe the chirality (handedness) of molecules and their ability to rotate polarized light.
Similar spelling words for DEXTROROTARY
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