Question

Use the periodic table to complete the activity.

An illustration shows the periodic table of elements with elements arranged in increasing order of atomic number in 18 columns (groups) and 7 rows (periods). The electronegativity of elements increases from left to right, across a period. The hydrogen on the left is included in group with medium electronegativity. Also, fluorine is shown as element with highest electronegativity.

Methane (CH4) is a gas that is found in small quantities in Earth’s atmosphere. Which type of bonds does methane have, and why does one carbon atom bond with four hydrogen atoms? In three to five sentences, explain your answer in terms of valence electrons and electronegativity.

Answer 1

[AI-generated answer — Bot GPT 3.5]

Methane has covalent bonds. Covalent bonds occur when atoms share electrons. In the case of methane, the carbon atom shares its four valence electrons with four hydrogen atoms, resulting in a stable molecule. Carbon has four valence electrons and hydrogen has one valence electron. Carbon needs four more electrons to complete its octet, while hydrogen needs one more electron. By sharing electrons, both carbon and hydrogen can achieve a more stable electron configuration. This sharing of electrons occurs because carbon and hydrogen have similar electronegativities, allowing for a reasonably equal distribution of electrons in the covalent bonds.