Racemic Acid

Racemic Acid is an acid, isomeric with tartaric acid. It appears to consist of two isomerides; which act upon polarised light to an equal extent, but in opposite directions, so that the racemic acid is optically inactive. It may also be split up by suitable means into the two forms, and, owing to the peculiar form of isomerism, the term racemates has been extended to all such compounds, i.e. inactive isomers which owe their inactivity to the presence of two optically active isomers in equal proportions. In its chemical character it resembles tartaric acid in almost all particulars.