What is the molecular geometry of methane (CH4)?

The molecular geometry of methane (CH4) is tetrahedral due to its four sp3 hybridized orbitals that result from the bonding between the carbon atom and the four hydrogen atoms. In this arrangement, the bond angles between the hydrogen atoms are approximately 109.5 degrees, which is characteristic of a tetrahedral shape.

This geometry arises because carbon has four valence electrons and forms four single covalent bonds with hydrogen, leading to a symmetrical distribution of the bonds around the central carbon atom. The repulsion between these four electron pairs is minimized when they are spaced as far apart as possible, which naturally defines a tetrahedral arrangement.

In contrast, other geometries listed—such as trigonal planar, linear, or octahedral—represent different bonding scenarios or numbers of bonds. For example, trigonal planar occurs with three bonding pairs and no lone pairs, linear occurs with two groups around the central atom, and octahedral involves six groups. None of these configurations apply to methane, thus affirming the tetrahedral geometry.