Question

Methane (CH4) is a gas that is found in small quantities in Earth’s atmosphere. Are the bonds in methane ionic or covalent according to their electronegativities, and how can one carbon atom bond with four hydrogen atoms based on their valence electrons? In three to five sentences, explain your answer

Answer 1

The bonds in methane (CH₄) are covalent. This is because the electronegativity difference between carbon (2.55) and hydrogen (2.20) is small enough (approximately 0.35) that they share electrons rather than transferring them. Carbon has four valence electrons and requires four additional electrons to complete its octet, while each hydrogen has one valence electron and needs one more to achieve the stable electron configuration of helium. Therefore, one carbon atom can form four covalent bonds with four hydrogen atoms by sharing its four electrons with their single valence electrons, resulting in a stable molecular structure.