In CH4 (methane), the only intermolecular forces are London dispersion forces.
Dipole-dipole interactions and London dispersion forces are the most important intermolecular forces. Because the electronegativities of C and H are so close, C-H bonds are nonpolar, with no bond dipoles or dipole-dipole interactions.
Name of molecule | Methane (CH4) |
Bond Angles | 109.5° degrees |
CH4 Molecular geometry | Tetrahedral |
Hybridization of Methane | sp3 hybridization |
Number of Valence Electrons in the molecule | 8 |
CH4 intermolecular forces | London dispersion forces |
CH4 polarity | Nonpolar nature |
Electrons in a nonpolar molecule are constantly moving. They may be at either end of the molecule at any time. This would instantly create a temporary dipole, with one end being negative and the other being positive.
The positive charge attracts electrons in a neighboring molecule. The London dispersion force is the transient attractive force.
Methane does not condense to a liquid until it cools to 161.5 °C due to the weak London dispersion forces.
Table of Contents
CH4 Polarity
Because of its symmetric tetrahedral geometrical shape and four identical C-H bonds, CH4 is a nonpolar molecule. With electronegativity values of 2.55 and 2.2, respectively, carbon and hydrogen have practically no partial charges.
What is CH4?
Methane (CH4) is a colorless, odorless, and highly flammable gas that is used to create energy and heat homes worldwide.
It is used in chemical processes to produce other important gases, including hydrogen and carbon monoxide, as well as carbon black, a chemical component found in some types of rubber used in vehicle tires.
CH4 Lewis Structure
In the CH4 lewis structure, the CH4 molecule has four single shared covalent bonds between the carbon and hydrogen atoms. Furthermore, because there are no lone pairs of electrons on an atom, the bond angle is the ideal tetrahedral angle of 109.5°.
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