What is the molecular shape of methane (CH₄)?

The molecular shape of methane (CH₄) is tetrahedral due to the arrangement of its carbon and hydrogen atoms around the central carbon atom. In methane, the carbon atom is bonded to four hydrogen atoms. The carbon atom has four valence electrons and forms four single covalent bonds with hydrogen atoms. According to the VSEPR (Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion) theory, the four pairs of bonding electrons around the carbon atom will repel each other and arrange themselves as far apart as possible to minimize repulsion.

This results in a three-dimensional structure where the hydrogen atoms are positioned at the corners of a tetrahedron with the carbon atom at the center. The angles between the hydrogen-carbon-hydrogen bonds are approximately 109.5 degrees, which is characteristic of a tetrahedral geometry. This shape is crucial for understanding the properties of methane, including its reactivity and interactions with other molecules.