Draw Lewis dot structure for CH4
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
Lewis Dot Structure for Methane (CH₄):
The Lewis dot structure for methane is:
H
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H - C - H
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H
Explanation
Methane (CH₄) is a simple molecule that consists of one carbon atom and four hydrogen atoms. To understand its Lewis dot structure, we begin by counting the total number of valence electrons. Carbon is in group 14 of the periodic table and has 4 valence electrons. Hydrogen is in group 1 and has 1 valence electron. With four hydrogen atoms, the total number of valence electrons from hydrogen is 4. Therefore, the total number of valence electrons available for bonding is 4 from carbon plus 4 from hydrogen, giving a total of 8 valence electrons.
The Lewis structure aims to represent how atoms share electrons to achieve stable outer shells. Hydrogen only needs 2 electrons to be stable, while carbon needs 8 electrons to complete its octet. In methane, the carbon atom is placed at the center because it can form more bonds than hydrogen. Each hydrogen atom forms a single covalent bond with carbon by sharing one electron from each atom. This results in four single bonds between carbon and hydrogen.
Each bond represents 2 shared electrons. With four C–H bonds, all 8 valence electrons are used up. Carbon ends up surrounded by 8 electrons, satisfying its octet rule. Each hydrogen has 2 electrons, fulfilling its requirement.
There are no lone pairs in methane’s structure. All valence electrons are involved in bonding. This results in a symmetrical tetrahedral shape in three dimensions, though the Lewis structure shows it as a two-dimensional cross pattern. The bond angles in methane are approximately 109.5 degrees due to the repulsion between electron pairs around the central carbon atom.
The Lewis structure provides a simple yet powerful way to visualize electron sharing and molecular bonding. Methane’s structure is a good example of how atoms achieve stable configurations through covalent bonding.
