Isomer facts for kids

alanine has two isomers. They are exactly the same except they are backwards from each other. This sort of isomer is called an optical isomer

An isomer in chemistry is a chemical that has the same molecular formula as another, but it has a different arrangement of atoms in space. Different isomers have different chemical properties (that is, they may look, or smell, or taste different from each other).

There are two main categories: stereoisomers and structural isomers. Structural isomers are isomers with the atoms making up the molecule joined together in different ways. Stereoisomers have different positions of atoms in space and are much more subtle than structural isomers.

Images for kids

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  Structural isomers of C₃H₈O: I 1-propanol, II 2-propanol, III ethyl-methyl-ether.

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  Molecular models of cyclohexane in boat and chair conformations. The carbon atoms are colored amber or blue according to whether they lie above or below the mean plane of the ring. The C–C bonds on the ring are light green.

See also

In Spanish: Isomería para niños