MCQ Detailed View

Methane is the simplest hydrocarbon and the first member of the alkane series. It consists of one carbon atom bonded to four hydrogen atoms, giving it the molecular formula CH4. Methane is a colorless, odorless, and highly flammable gas under standard temperature and pressure. It is the main component of natural gas, widely used as a fuel for heating, cooking, and electricity generation.

In methane, the carbon atom forms four single covalent bonds with hydrogen atoms. The molecule has a tetrahedral geometry, with bond angles of approximately 109.5°. Each bond is a sigma bond formed by the overlap of sp³ hybrid orbitals of carbon with the 1s orbitals of hydrogen atoms. This structure makes methane a nonpolar molecule, insoluble in water but soluble in organic solvents.

Methane is produced naturally through the anaerobic decomposition of organic matter, in wetlands, and in the digestive systems of ruminant animals. It is also released during the extraction and processing of coal, oil, and natural gas. While methane is an excellent energy source, it is also a potent greenhouse gas with a much higher heat-trapping ability than carbon dioxide.

Looking at the other given options:

• 
  

  NH3 (Ammonia): A compound of nitrogen and hydrogen, not a hydrocarbon.

  
  


• 
  

  CO2 (Carbon dioxide): An oxide of carbon, not methane.

  
  


• 
  

  C6H6 (Benzene): An aromatic hydrocarbon with a ring structure, different from methane.

  
  

The formula CH4 specifically identifies methane as a saturated hydrocarbon containing only single covalent bonds. This makes methane an important example in organic chemistry when studying alkanes, hydrocarbons, and basic molecular structures.