Oct. 8th, 2019

chirality

Oct. 8th, 2019 07:51 am
prettygoodword: text: words are sexy (Default)
chirality (kai-RAL-i-tee) - n., the property of not being superimposable on its own mirror image.


The adjective form is chiral. This is used in chemistry, physics, and mathematics, mainly, so a type of scientific jargon, but it's still cool. Coined in 1893 by Lord Kelvin from Greek root kheír, hand -- because hands are the objects we are most familiar with that have chirality.

Chiral and non-chiral
Thanks, Anu Garg/A.Word.A.Day!

---L.

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