Which of the statements below correctly describes an achiral molecule?
A)The molecule has a nonsuperimposable mirror image.
B)The molecule exhibits optical activity when it interacts with plane-polarized light.
C)The molecule has an enantiomer.
D)The molecule might be a meso form.
E)none of the above

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

An achiral molecule is one that does not have a mirror image that is a non-superimposable enantiomer. Therefore, options A and C can be eliminated. Optical activity is the ability of a molecule to rotate plane-polarized light, and only chiral molecules exhibit this property. Therefore, option B can be eliminated. A meso form is a specific case of a molecule with chirality centers where the molecule as a whole is achiral due to internal symmetry. Therefore, option D is the correct answer.

Which of the Statements Below Correctly Describes an Achiral Molecule