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NEET levelSingle correct optionDifficulty 1 of 3hx040

A racemic mixture is optically inactive because

  1. Aequal amounts of the two enantiomers rotate plane-polarised light in opposite directions and cancel
  2. Bit contains no chiral molecules
  3. Ceach molecule has a plane of symmetry
  4. Da single enantiomer in it rotates light both ways

Answer: A

A racemic mixture is a 1 : 1 mixture of two enantiomers. Each enantiomer is chiral and rotates light by the same amount in opposite senses, so the net rotation is zero (external compensation). A molecule with an internal plane of symmetry (meso) is a different case.
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