Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Mathematics/2011 July 25

= July 25 =

An explanation of chirality.
I've read both articles that explain the concept of chirality here on Wikipedia (Chirality (chemistry) and Chirality (mathematics)), but I am still having trouble understanding the concept. Could somebody please explain it to me?190.25.14.117 (talk) 22:56, 25 July 2011 (UTC)


 * Probably not in any way that is better than the lead of Chirality (mathematics). Where in that article do you first encounter difficulties? Looie496 (talk) 23:08, 25 July 2011 (UTC)


 * Suppose you paint your left hand purple, and I had a picture of you and another picture of your reflection in a mirror. Then I could tell which was which by looking for the purple.  So you're chiral.  If you wash your hand off, then I can't tell which is which, so you're no longer chiral.--Antendren (talk) 23:12, 25 July 2011 (UTC)


 * A left shoe looks different from a right shoe. Clockwise is different from counterclockwise.  That's chirality. Michael Hardy (talk) 00:13, 26 July 2011 (UTC)


 * A screw is another example. You could create a screw with the spiral thread in the opposite direction (and they do), but no matter how you turn it, one screw never changes into the opposite spiral. StuRat (talk) 22:31, 26 July 2011 (UTC)