An object or molecule that is not superimposable on its mirror image is said to be chiral , meaning “handed.” A chiral molecule is one that does not have a plane of symmetry cutting through it so that one half is a… In this chapter, we’ve looked at some of the causes and consequences of molecular handedness—a topic of particular importance in understanding biological chemistry.

The subject can be a bit complex but is so important that it’s worthwhile spending time to become familiar with it The most common cause of chirality in organic molecules is the presence of a tetrahedral, sp 3 -hybridized carbon atom bonded to four different groups—a so-called chirality center .