Carbon has 4 electrons in its outer shell, but needs 8 to be stable. Hydrogen has just 1 electron but needs 2 to be stable (the first shell of any element contains only 2 electrons, and hydrogen has only one shell). Therefore, the hydrogen atoms in methane, CH4, are presumed to surround the carbon atom so that they can each share one of the carbon electrons, while sharing their 1 electron each with the carbon atom. This, in effect, satisfies the needs of the carbon atom and the hydrogen atom, through sharing of electrons.
To simplify this, carbon borrows the 4 hydrogen electrons while lending its 4 electrons, and vice versa.
the chemical formula of methane is CH4. one molecule of methane contains one carbon atom and four hydrogen atoms.
It is an alkane.It is the simplest one
Methane is practically the same as natural gas. When 1 molecule of methane (CH4) is burnt in oxygen it produces 1 molecule of carbon dioxide (CO2) and two molecules of water (H2O). If the methane is NOT burnt it causes twenty times more damage as a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide. (So keep lighting those farts!)
The shape of the methane molecule is called a tetrahedron.
A carbon based molecule is a polymer. Edit: A carbon based molecule does not have to be a polymer, although some polymers are carbon based. For example methane - CH4 is carbon based and not a polymer. Carbon based molecules are called organic compounds.
Methane (CH4) is composed of one atom of carbon and four atoms of hydrogen, a total of five.
But-
The molecular formula is CH4. This molecule is know as Carbon tetrahydride or more simply Methane.
No. A diatomic molecule contains two atoms. A molecule of methane contains one atom of carbon and four of hydrogen for a total of five.
Methane is CH4 and has the elements carbon and hydrogen.
One (CH4). (per molecule)
Who Knows? :) O.o
Methane
It means that the 4 hydrogen atoms of a methane molecule are at the vertices of a regular tetrahedron with the carbon atom at its centre.
the chemical formula of methane is CH4. one molecule of methane contains one carbon atom and four hydrogen atoms.
The molecule of methane is more stable, carbon is tetravalent.
Carbon and hydrogen. Methane has the chemical formula CH4, which means a single molecule of methane contains one carbon atom and four hydrogen atoms.