10. (Chem.)
Defn: The act or process by which cane sugar (sucrose), under the action of heat and acids or ferments (as diastase), is broken or split up into grape sugar (dextrose), and fruit sugar (levulose); also, less properly, the process by which starch is converted into grape sugar (dextrose).
Note: The terms invert and inversion, in this sense, owe their meaning to the fact that the plane of polarization of light, which is rotated to the right by cane sugar, is turned toward the left by levulose.
INVERT
In*vert", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Inverted; p. pr. & vb. n. Inverting.]
Etym: [L. invertere, inversum; pref. in- in + vertere to turn. See
Verse.]
1. To turn over; to put upside down; to upset; to place in a contrary order or direction; to reverse; as, to invert a cup, the order of words, rules of justice, etc. That doth invert the attest of eyes and ears, As if these organs had deceptious functions. Shak. Such reasoning falls like an inverted cone, Wanting its proper base to stand upon. Cowper.
2. (Mus.)
Defn: To change the position of; — said of tones which form a chord, or parts which compose harmony.
3. To divert; to convert to a wrong use. [Obs.] Knolles.
4. (Chem.)
Defn: To convert; to reverse; to decompose by, or subject to, inversion. See Inversion, n., 10.