If (S) -glyceraldehyde has a specific rotation of -8.7°, what is the specific rotation of (R) -glyceraldehyde?

A) 0.0°
B) -8.7°
C) +8.7°
D) cannot be determined from the information given

Specific Rotation

A measure of the degree to which a compound can rotate plane-polarized light, specific to its concentration and the length of the light path through the sample.

(S)-glyceraldehyde

The S-configuration enantiomer of glyceraldehyde, which serves as a standard for determining the absolute configuration of chiral molecules.

(R)-glyceraldehyde

A carbohydrate that is the R-enantiomer of glyceraldehyde, serving as a simple monosaccharide and a basic building block for more complex sugars.