What is Stereochemistry?
[[Image:Isomerism.png|thumb|right|400px|The different types of [[isomer]]s. Stereochemistry is the study of [[stereoisomer]]s]] '''Stereochemistry''' is the study of how [[molecule]]s are affected by the way their [[atom]]s are arranged in space.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.credoreference.com/entry/apdst/stereochemistry |title=Stereochemistry |first= |last= |work=Academic Press Dictionary of Science and Technology |year=2002 |accessdate=13 August 2011}}</ref> It is also known as [[Three-dimensional space|3D]] chemistry as the word ''stereo'' means ''three dimensional''.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/stereo- |title=Stereo |first= |last= |work=reference.com |year=2011 |accessdate=13 August 2011}}</ref> Using stereochemistry, chemists can work out the relationships between different molecules that are made up from the same atoms. They can also study the effect on the [[physics|physical]] or [[biology|biological]] properties these relationships give molecules. When these relationships influence the [[Reactivity (chemistry)|reactivity]] of the molecules it is called [[dynamic stereochemistry]]. In chemistry, some [[molecule]]s have more than one [[isomer]]. This means that molecules can have different forms, even though all the forms are made of the same atoms. There are two kinds of isomers.<ref name=st>{{cite web |url=http://facultystaff.vwc.edu/~jeaster/courseinfo/Tutorials/stereochemistryl.html |title=Stereochemistry Tutorial |first= |last= |work=facultystaff.vwc.edu |year=2001 |accessdate=9 August 2011 |archive-date=28 August 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110828095830/http://facultystaff.vwc.edu/~jeaster/courseinfo/Tutorials/stereochemistryl.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> [[Constitutional isomer]]s have the same atoms, but they are joined differently.<ref name=st/> [[Stereoisomer]]s have the same atoms, they are joined the same way, but the atoms are arranged differently in space.<ref name=st/> An important part of stereochemistry is the study of [[chirality