Racemization

Racemization is when the shape of a special type of molecule called a chiral molecule changes. Think of a chiral molecule like a hand. Your right hand is different from your left hand, even though they have the same parts. Chiral molecules are the same - they have the same parts, but if you try to put them on top of each other, they won't match up perfectly because they're shaped differently.

When a chiral molecule changes shape, it becomes a mixture of both the right-handed and left-handed versions of itself. This is called racemization. It's like if you had a box of right-hand gloves and then suddenly some of them became left-hand gloves too.

Racemization can happen for different reasons, like when chiral molecules are exposed to heat, light, or certain chemicals. Scientists study racemization because it can affect how drugs work in our bodies - if a drug is made up of a chiral molecule and it racemizes, it might not work the way it's supposed to anymore.