True or false? CH4 has ionic bonds. True False
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:1
Correct Answer: False
Explanation:
Methane (CH₄) contains covalent bonds, not ionic bonds. In this molecule, one carbon atom bonds with four hydrogen atoms. Each hydrogen atom shares one electron with carbon, and carbon shares one of its electrons with each hydrogen atom. This sharing of electrons creates single covalent bonds between the carbon and hydrogen atoms.
An ionic bond typically forms between a metal and a non-metal, where one atom donates electrons and the other accepts them, leading to the formation of positively and negatively charged ions. For example, in sodium chloride (NaCl), sodium donates one electron to chlorine, resulting in Na⁺ and Cl⁻ ions that attract each other due to their opposite charges.
Carbon, belonging to group 14, has four valence electrons and needs four more to complete its octet. Hydrogen, having one valence electron, needs one more electron to complete its duplet. By sharing electrons, both carbon and hydrogen achieve stable electron configurations without transferring electrons entirely from one atom to another. The electronegativity difference between carbon (2.55) and hydrogen (2.20) is too small to create an ionic bond. This small difference supports the formation of nonpolar covalent bonds rather than ionic bonds.
In methane, the electron cloud is symmetrically distributed, resulting in a nonpolar molecule. The equal sharing of electrons leads to the absence of partial charges, further confirming the covalent nature of the bonds.
Additionally, methane’s physical properties, such as its low melting and boiling points and its poor electrical conductivity, align with characteristics typical of covalent compounds rather than ionic ones. Ionic compounds usually exhibit high melting and boiling points and conduct electricity in molten or dissolved states, unlike methane.
Thus, methane (CH₄) possesses covalent bonds, making the statement that it has ionic bonds false.
