the fact that optical rotatory dispersion and circular dichroism are widely used in organic and inorganic chemistry and in biochemistry. In the absence of magnetic fields, only chiral substances exhibit optical rotatory dispersion and circular dichroism. In a magnetic field, even substances that lack chirality rotate the plane of polarized light, as shown by Michael Faraday. Magnetic optical rotation is known as the Faraday effect, and its wavelength dependence is known as magnetic optical rotatory dispersion. In regions of absorption, magnetic circular dichroism is observable. See also Circular dichroism Magnetic circular dichroism Absorption Enzyme Stereochemistry Polarimetry Polarography Hyper Rayleigh Scattering Optical Activity Raman optical activity (ROA) References Polarization (waves) Stereochemistry