Organic Chemistry MCAT Practice Exam 2025 – The All-in-One Guide to Master Your Test Preparation!

The compounds that have the same molecular formula but differ in the arrangement of atoms in space are exhibiting stereoisomerism. This type of isomerism can occur when compounds have the same connectivity of atoms (i.e., the same structural arrangement) but differ in the three-dimensional orientation of those atoms. Stereoisomers can include both geometric isomers, which have restricted rotation around a double bond or ring structure resulting in different spatial arrangements of groups, as well as enantiomers, which are mirror-image isomers that occur in chiral molecules.

Stereoisomerism is a broader category that encompasses these variations in three-dimensional arrangement, making it the appropriate term for the scenario described in the question. While geometric isomerism is a specific form of stereoisomerism related to the arrangement of substituents around a double bond or ring, stereoisomerism encompasses the general concept of 3D arrangement of atoms in space.

In contrast, structural isomerism refers to isomers that differ in the connectivity and bonding of atoms, while functional isomerism involves isomers that have the same molecular formula but differ in the functional groups present in the compounds. Therefore, the distinction in the arrangement of atoms in space is specifically captured under