ABSTRACT
Polarimetry Enantiomeric compounds (Sections E1 and E2) have identical physical properties, except that they rotate the path of plane polarized light in opposite directions. The device used to measure the degree of rotation of light is called a polarimeter (Figure 1). It consists of a light source in which light is oscillating in all possible directions. This is passed through a ‘polarizer’ or polaroid filter, and the light emerging travels in one direction only. This polarized light then passes through the polarimeter tube containing a solution of the enantiomer. As light passes through the solution it is rotated. At
Figure 1. Schematic diagram of a polarimeter.
