21 Chemistry -- Chemical Bonding and Shapes of Molecules

Draw the orbital picture of following molecules: Methane (CH4)

Draw the orbital picture of following molecules:

Methane (CH4)

Carbon has two half-filled orbitals in ground state (1s2, 2s2, 2px 1 2py 1, 2pz 0). It has four half-filled orbitals in excited state since one electron is promoted from 2s to empty 2p orbital during chemical combination (1s2, 2s2, 2px 1 2py 1, 2pz 0

Now one 2s and three 2p orbitals undergo sp3 hybridization to form four sp3 hybrid orbitals of equivalent energy and identical shape and size which takes tetrahedral geometry with bond angle 109.28º.


Each half filled sp3 hybrid orbital of carbon atom overlaps with half-filled 1s orbital of four hydrogen atoms forming four carbon to hydrogen sigma bonds. Hence, all four bonds in methane are identical with bond angle 109 º28' and methane has a tetrahedral geometry.

More questions on Chemical Bonding and Shapes of Molecules

Close Open App