MolDraw › 3D molecule models › Methane 3D model
Methane molecule model (CH4)
Methane is the textbook tetrahedral molecule: one carbon bonded to four hydrogens, with every H–C–H angle exactly 109.5°. It is the main component of natural gas and a potent greenhouse gas.
Drag to rotate · pinch or scroll to zoom. 3D coordinates: PubChem conformer (CID 297).
Methane at a glance
| Formula | CH4 |
|---|---|
| Molar mass | 16.043 g/mol |
| IUPAC name | methane |
| Atoms / bonds | 5 / 4 |
| H-bond donors / acceptors | 0 / 0 |
| XLogP3 | 0.6 |
| SMILES | C |
| PubChem CID | 297 |
What the 3D model of Methane shows
The model contains 5 atoms (1 heavy atom and 4 hydrogens) joined by 4 bonds; in ball-and-stick mode every stick is one bond, and double or aromatic bonds are drawn as multiple sticks. Switch to space-filling to see the molecule as its electron cloud, scaled to van der Waals radii: this is the shape other molecules actually "feel". It has no hydrogen-bond donors or acceptors, so it interacts mainly through weak London dispersion forces, and its PubChem XLogP3 of 0.6 means it is fairly balanced between water and fat solubility. Its topological polar surface area is 0 Ų.
Shape and bond angles
| Atom(s) | Geometry / hybridisation | Angles & lengths |
|---|---|---|
| C | Tetrahedral (AX₄), sp³ | H–C–H 109.5°; C–H 108.7 pm |
Is Methane polar?
Nonpolar. The C–H bonds are only weakly polar, and the symmetric tetrahedron cancels them completely.
Elemental composition of CH4
| Element | Atoms | Mass (g/mol) | Mass % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carbon (C) | 1 | 12.011 | 74.87% |
| Hydrogen (H) | 4 | 4.032 | 25.13% |
Calculated from IUPAC standard atomic weights. Check any formula with the molar mass calculator.
Uses of methane
- Main component of natural gas (fuel for heating and power)
- Feedstock for hydrogen and syngas (steam reforming)
- Starting material for methanol, chloromethanes and hydrogen cyanide
Interesting facts
- Molecule for molecule, methane traps far more heat than CO₂: its 100-year global warming potential is about 28–30.
- Methane boils at −161.5 °C, so natural gas is shipped as a cryogenic liquid (LNG).
- Methane hydrate ("fire ice") traps methane inside cages of frozen water on the sea floor.
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Open MolDraw editorFrequently asked questions
Why is methane tetrahedral?
Carbon has four bonding pairs and no lone pairs. Four electron domains spread out as far as possible to the corners of a tetrahedron, at 109.5°.
Is methane polar or nonpolar?
Nonpolar. The four identical C–H bonds point symmetrically, so their small dipoles cancel.
What is the chemical formula and molar mass of methane?
Methane is CH4 with a molar mass of 16.043 g/mol (PubChem CID 297). It contains 5 atoms: 1 carbon, 4 hydrogen.
What is the IUPAC name of Methane?
The PubChem-computed IUPAC name is methane.
How do I make a model of Methane?
Rotate the interactive model above to see how its 5 atoms connect, then copy it with a ball-and-stick kit: use the CPK colours shown (carbon grey or black, hydrogen white, oxygen red, nitrogen blue). For a school project, foam balls and toothpicks work well.