Do heterogeneous elements sho enantiomeric properties
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If you don't know what is meant by non-superimposable mirror images.... the first step is to stop thinking about molecules and just think about any objects as this is a geometric issue and not limited to chemistry and is really something that we deal with everyday of our lives. There are two parts to what we need to consider, mirror image and superimposability
I think we all know what mirror images are.... the reflections of an object.
If two objects are superimposable, it means you can not tell them apart, they are identical.
If two objects are non-superimposable, then you can always distinguish them.
Bring these together, and it means we are being asked to compare an object and it's mirror image to see if the object can be distinguished from it's mirror image or not.
For example, if you look at your hands, you will see that while they are very similar (i.e. made up of the same peices, on each hand there are 4 fingers and a thumb, a wrist, fingertips, a palm and the back of the hand)... but they are not the same. To a first approximation, they are mirror images of each other. However, they can not be superimposed, you can always tell a left from a right (I hope !). Therefore, since your left and right hands are non-superimposable mirror images, then they are a pair of enantiomers.
I think we all know what mirror images are.... the reflections of an object.
If two objects are superimposable, it means you can not tell them apart, they are identical.
If two objects are non-superimposable, then you can always distinguish them.
Bring these together, and it means we are being asked to compare an object and it's mirror image to see if the object can be distinguished from it's mirror image or not.
For example, if you look at your hands, you will see that while they are very similar (i.e. made up of the same peices, on each hand there are 4 fingers and a thumb, a wrist, fingertips, a palm and the back of the hand)... but they are not the same. To a first approximation, they are mirror images of each other. However, they can not be superimposed, you can always tell a left from a right (I hope !). Therefore, since your left and right hands are non-superimposable mirror images, then they are a pair of enantiomers.
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