# Can a compound optically active in visible light also show optical activity in radio waves region?

Optically active compounds such as glucose rotate the plane of polarization of light because they lack symmetry. As I was reading up on the underlying principle behind this effect, at its core, this effect seems to have its basis in EM field theory in the way that left and right circularly polarized light have different propagation velocities in such compounds. If that's the case, shouldn't all electromagnetic waves be affected? Almost all the articles I have read, deal with optical activity in visible light. Will long wavelength waves like radio waves also have their plane of polarization rotated? Or are their wavelengths too long to prevent any interaction with molecules, if at all this is the case?

• Great answer, but I think it probably should conclude with an answer to the header question, which would be, no, visible light optically active materials are not active at radio ($<1 THz$) frequencies where the wavelengths are too big to "see" the chirality (to use your wonderfully evocative phrase). – Selene Routley Jan 6 '17 at 11:59