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.
(4 points)
I don't intend to write your five sentences for you but here is the scoop.
Carbon-hydrogen bonds in CH4 are covalent bonds. Carbon has four electrons in its outside shell (it needs eight) and hydrogen has one electron in its outside shell and needs two. The four electrons from H join with the four electrons in C to form four C-H bonds. This makes the outside shell of carbon full with eight electrons and the outside shell of H full with two.
thanks drbob, you were actually helpful unlike the other 99% of morons on here.
on this website, not this specific thread.
DrBob222 is right, you just have to put into more complex sentences and it should do the trick:)
Carbon has 6 protons, atomic number = 6
Therefore it has
2 electrons in the first shell, filling it
4 electrons in the second, outer , shell
which could hold 8
It happily shares those electrons or fills
that outer shell by sharing with some other
element like four H atoms have 4 to share