Answer:
The optical rotation of a substance, such as mucic acid, is a measure of its ability to rotate the plane of polarized light. The value of optical rotation for a specific substance depends on various factors, including its chemical structure and the conditions under which the measurement is made.
Mucic acid is a sugar acid with the chemical formula C6H10O8. Its optical rotation can vary depending on factors like concentration, temperature, and the specific optical isomer (enantiomer) of mucic acid being measured.
As for what value to expect, it would depend on the specific conditions and enantiomer being analyzed. Mucic acid, like many chiral compounds, can exist in different enantiomeric forms (mirror-image isomers), and the optical rotation will vary depending on whether you are analyzing the (+)-mucic acid or (-)-mucic acid. The specific rotation (observed optical rotation) of each enantiomer will also depend on factors such as concentration and the path length of the sample.
In a laboratory setting, you would typically measure the optical rotation of a sample of mucic acid using a polarimeter and compare it to known reference values or literature values for that specific enantiomer under standardized conditions.
So, the expected value for the optical rotation of mucic acid would depend on the specific conditions of the experiment and whether you are dealing with the (+)-mucic acid or (-)-mucic acid enantiomer. It's important to consult scientific literature and reference values for the specific enantiomer you are working with to determine the expected optical rotation under your experimental conditions.