Methane (CH₄)
The simplest organic compound
Summary
Methane is made of one carbon atom and four hydrogen atoms. With its regular tetrahedral geometry it is the simplest organic molecule and the main component of natural gas.
In depth
Methane (CH₄) is a tetrahedral molecule in which the carbon atom, sp³ hybridised, is bonded to four hydrogen atoms at equal distances. Its bond angles are 109.5°, and because the molecule is symmetric it has no net dipole moment. It is colourless and odourless (the characteristic smell of commercial natural gas is added later for safety). In the atmosphere it is a greenhouse gas about 28 times more powerful than CO₂; wetlands, the digestive systems of cattle and leaks from fossil fuels are its main sources.
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