Final answer:
D-glyceraldehyde and L-glyceraldehyde differ in configuration around the chiral center, resulting in different rotations of plane-polarized light.
Step-by-step explanation:
D-glyceraldehyde and L-glyceraldehyde differ in configuration around the chiral center. D-glyceraldehyde has the -OH group on the asymmetric carbon atom oriented towards the right, while L-glyceraldehyde has the -OH group oriented towards the left. This difference in configuration results in different rotations of plane-polarized light, with D-glyceraldehyde being dextrorotatory (+) and L-glyceraldehyde being levorotatory (-).