What shape is a molecule of methane? Symmetrical or asymmetrical?

Answer 1

A methane molecule has a highly symmetrical tetrahedral shape with respect to the central carbon.

What's the best evidence for this? Probably the #""^1H# #NMR# spectrum of methane, and that of #CH_3X#, and #CH_2X_2#. Given a tetrahedral carbon, we would expect to find 1 resonance only in the #""^1H# #NMR# spectra, as indeed we do.

Sign up to view the whole answer

By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Sign up with email

Answer 2

Isabella Acosta

A molecule of methane (CH4) is symmetrical.

Sign up to view the whole answer

By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Sign up with email

Answer from HIX Tutor

When evaluating a one-sided limit, you need to be careful when a quantity is approaching zero since its sign is different depending on which way it is approaching zero from. Let us look at some examples.