Explain Isomerism and define its types?

Isomerism is a very broad topic however they are molecules with the same molecular formula but different structured differently.

Isomers can be split into 2 groups-

  1. Structural Isomers
  2. Stereoisomers

Structural Isomers come in three main types-
Chain – Same molecular formula but have a different chain length. E.g. Pentane and 2-methylbutane both have molecular formula of C5H12.
Positional – Same molecular formula but different position of a functional group. E.g. 1-Chloropentane and 2-Chloropentane have the same molecular formula of C5H11Cl.
Functional group – Same molecular formula but a different functional group. E.g. Pent-1-ene and Cyclopentane (one is an alkane and one is an alkene) both have the molecular formula of C5H10.

I have made a video that will explain more as part of my A Level Chemistry Revision videos YouTube channel. Structural Isomers

Stereoisomerism comes in the following forms-

Optical (enantiomers) – Same molecular formula but different optical properties. They exist as a pair of enantiomers which are mirror images of each other and are non-superimposable. They rotate plane polarised light by the same amount but in opposite directions. They have a chiral centre with 4 different groups coming from it. Your hand is chiral, a left hand glove will not fit a right hand as it is non-superimposable.

Geometric (E-Z isomerism) This is the same molecular formula but a different arrangement of atoms in space. E-Z or Cis-Trans. My video explains this in more detail. Stereoisomerism

Conformational Isomerism – Same molecular formula but structured differently due to rotations around a single covalent bond.

Show more







Calculate Your Essay Price
(550 words)

Approximate price: $22

Calculate the price of your order

550 words
We'll send you the first draft for approval by September 11, 2018 at 10:52 AM
Total price:
$26
The price is based on these factors:
Academic level
Number of pages
Urgency
Basic features
  • Free title page and bibliography
  • Unlimited revisions
  • Plagiarism-free guarantee
  • Money-back guarantee
  • 24/7 support
On-demand options
  • Writer’s samples
  • Part-by-part delivery
  • Overnight delivery
  • Copies of used sources
  • Expert Proofreading
Paper format
  • 275 words per page
  • 12 pt Arial/Times New Roman
  • Double line spacing
  • Any citation style (APA, MLA, Chicago/Turabian, Harvard)

Our guarantees

Delivering a high-quality product at a reasonable price is not enough anymore.
That’s why we have developed 5 beneficial guarantees that will make your experience with our service enjoyable, easy, and safe.

Money-back guarantee

You have to be 100% sure of the quality of your product to give a money-back guarantee. This describes us perfectly. Make sure that this guarantee is totally transparent.

Read more

Zero-plagiarism guarantee

Each paper is composed from scratch, according to your instructions. It is then checked by our plagiarism-detection software. There is no gap where plagiarism could squeeze in.

Read more

Free-revision policy

Thanks to our free revisions, there is no way for you to be unsatisfied. We will work on your paper until you are completely happy with the result.

Read more

Privacy policy

Your email is safe, as we store it according to international data protection rules. Your bank details are secure, as we use only reliable payment systems.

Read more

Fair-cooperation guarantee

By sending us your money, you buy the service we provide. Check out our terms and conditions if you prefer business talks to be laid out in official language.

Read more

Order your essay today and save 10% with the coupon code: best10