Cotton Effect

The Cotton effect refers to the phenomenon where certain chiral (handed) molecules cause circularly polarized light to be absorbed differently depending on the light's rotation direction. When light passes through a solution of these molecules, their asymmetry results in a characteristic change in the light's absorption spectrum, appearing as peaks or dips. This effect helps scientists identify and study the three-dimensional structure of molecules, especially in chemistry and biochemistry, providing insight into how molecules are arranged in space and their stereochemistry.