Chirality is a property of a molecule (or object) that makes it non-superimposable on its mirror image, just like your left and right hands.
In chemistry:
- A molecule is said to be chiral if it cannot be placed on top of its mirror image in a way that all parts match.
- The most common cause of chirality in organic molecules is the presence of an asymmetric carbon atom (a carbon bonded to four different atoms or groups).
- Such molecules exist as two mirror-image forms called enantiomers.
Key points:
- Chiral molecules: Non-superimposable mirror images.
- Achiral molecules: Superimposable on their mirror images (like a ball or a square).
- Chirality is very important in biology and medicine because two enantiomers of a drug may behave very differently in the body.
In short: Chirality is “handedness” in molecules — they exist as left- and right-handed forms.