Final answer:
Non-superimposable mirror images represent molecules known as enantiomers. These are important in organic chemistry due to their unique interactions with biological systems. The correct answer to the question is that non-superimposable mirror images are enantiomers.
Step-by-step explanation:
The meaning of non-superimposable mirror images in the context of chemistry refers to molecules that are enantiomers. Enantiomers are pairs of molecules that are exact mirror images of each other but cannot be superimposed perfectly.
This characteristic is a consequence of their chirality, a property where an object is distinguishable from its mirror image. A common example used to illustrate chirality is a pair of hands—they are mirror images but are not superimposable as the thumb and fingers will not align if placed on top of each other.
In the field of organic chemistry, optical isomers, another term for enantiomers, are especially significant because they can have different effects in biological systems.
For instance, only specific optical isomers of amino acids are used in protein synthesis in living organisms. D and L sugars are classic examples of enantiomers, exhibiting different properties in how they interact with polarized light and other molecules.
To answer the student's question, non-superimposable mirror images are enantiomers, so the correct option is (A) Non-superimposable mirror images are enantiomers. Superimposable mirror images would not be enantiomers as they would be identical upon superposition.