Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

Glucose molecules are special in their ability in causing linear polarizing light to rotate, but I seek to find what causes it, or if there is a correlation to its molecular structure

I am having difficulty finding specific research so any background information relating to polarization will also be helpful.

Hi,
That's a very interesting question. Can you tell us more about your project - what do you plan to do and what question do you plan to answer? Also, any information about your grade level and course experience relevant to this project would be helpful.

Here is a page that explains more about your questions specifically related to glucose:
http://www.exploratorium.edu/snacks/rotating_light.html

This phenomenon is used in mineralogy to identify minerals and physical properties of minerals. You can find more information by searching for "cross polarized light" and "optical mineralogy".

Chris

The phenomenon you appear to be interested in is called Optical Rotary Dispersion, and is related to a phenomenon called Circular Dichroism. You can find some references to it by searching Google for these terms.
You may also find information under Polarimetry.

I also have a book on it, though it appears to be quite out of print, though it is possible a good reference librarian could get it for you through an interlibrary loan. The book is:

Optical Rotary Power
by T. Martin Lowry
Dover Publications of New York, New York
published 1964 in Paperback
Library of Congress catalog number 64-20883

This is a very interesting topic to investigate! Good luck and have fun with it.

Thank you for the help!

my project more specifically deals with how the glucose concentration of water affects polarization of light, with an end goal in contributing to noninvasive blood sugar testing.

I am a freshman in highschool, so i have not enrolled in any physics/optics courses.

Hi!

It looks like you've gotten lots of help on your project so far, but because I was interested in your idea I did some research and found this site:
http://www.patentstorm.us/patents/69998 ... ption.html - 77k -

Just a little bit of information that might help/interest you...it can always be mentioned in your project as a way to apply your findings in reality. Good luck!


-Susan