Timeline for Microscopic explanation of optical activity

4 events

when toggle format	what		by	license	comment
Dec 28, 2013 at 12:15	vote	accept	Tom
Dec 25, 2013 at 20:02	comment	added	Ján Lalinský		No, it is not the same as effects due to magnetic field. In the Faraday effect, the asymmetry is due to magnetic field that is the same all over many molecules. In ordinary optical activity, the asymmetry is just molecular. Although the molecules are oriented randomly, their chirality will manifest in their interaction with light.
Dec 25, 2013 at 4:38	comment	added	Tom		Thanks for the reply. I know it comes from the chiral of the molecular, but the molecular in the solution isn't aligned well. I can't imagine it if these molecular are randomly aligned but always give the same effect on circular polarized light. I guess the detailed explanation maybe something like Zeeman effect? The energy level will be split under magnetic field. Thus the frequency of radiated light will differ which causes the optical activity?
Dec 24, 2013 at 22:55	history	answered	Ján Lalinský	CC BY-SA 3.0