What is the three dimensional structure of methane? Why?

Methane is tetrahedral because the bonds are hybrids of sp3. According to the VSEPR theory, the bonds want to be as far away form each other as possible; therefore, the carbon atoms is at the center of a tetrahedron and the H atoms are at the four corners of the tetrahedron.

The three-dimensional structure of methane is tetrahedral.

To understand why, let's break it down step by step:

1. Start with the Lewis structure: The Lewis structure of methane (CH4) shows a central carbon atom bonded to four hydrogen atoms. Each bond is represented by a line and each lone pair of electrons is represented by a pair of dots. So, the Lewis structure of methane is:

H H
\ /
C -- H
/
H

2. Determine the number of electron groups: Methane has four electron groups surrounding the central carbon atom. Each bond or lone pair of electrons counts as one electron group.

3. Apply VSEPR theory: VSEPR stands for Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion theory, which is used to predict the shapes of molecules based on the arrangement of electron groups around the central atom. According to VSEPR theory, electron groups around the central atom will repel each other and try to maximize the distance between them.

4. Determine the arrangement: With four electron groups, the most stable arrangement that maximizes the distance between them is a tetrahedral arrangement. This means that the four hydrogen atoms surrounding the carbon atom in methane are positioned at the corners of a tetrahedron, with the carbon atom in the center. The angles between the C-H bonds are approximately 109.5 degrees.

So, in conclusion, the three-dimensional structure of methane is tetrahedral because it has four electron groups around the central carbon atom, and this arrangement minimizes electron-electron repulsion and maximizes the distance between electron groups.