Methane molecule in 3D
CH₄ · A carbon atom with four neighbours. Methane is a major component of natural gas and is also a greenhouse gas. Explore the 3D model, inspect its parts and learn with guided explanations. Free on Atlas.
What you can learn
CH₄ · A carbon atom with four neighbours. Methane is a major component of natural gas and is also a greenhouse gas.
Count the 5 atoms. Match their element colours to the formula CH₄.
Select a bond and identify the two atoms it connects. Methane has four carbon–hydrogen single bonds. The tetrahedral arrangement is three-dimensional, not a flat cross.
Rotate the model to the side. The four hydrogens point toward the corners of a tetrahedron around carbon. Ideal H–C–H angles are about 109.5°.
Explain the difference between the atoms present and the molecule they form. A flat drawing is useful for connectivity but does not show the actual tetrahedral arrangement of the atoms.
Connect the model to daily life. Methane is a major component of natural gas and is also a greenhouse gas.
What is missing from a ball-and-stick picture? Consider electron density, movement and interactions with nearby molecules.
Try an investigation
Count the 5 atoms. Match their element colours to the formula CH₄.
Check your understanding
How many atoms are in one CH₄ molecule?
5. Add the atom counts in CH₄: one molecule contains 5 atoms. Subscripts belong to the element or group immediately before them.
How many different elements make up CH₄?
2. Methane contains carbon and hydrogen. Count element types separately from the total atom count.
What is methane’s molecular shape?
Tetrahedral. The four hydrogens point toward the corners of a tetrahedron around carbon. Ideal H–C–H angles are about 109.5°.
How many C–H bonds are present?
Four single bonds. Methane has four carbon–hydrogen single bonds. The tetrahedral arrangement is three-dimensional, not a flat cross.
Why rotate the methane model?
To see its tetrahedral arrangement. A flat drawing is useful for connectivity but does not show the actual tetrahedral arrangement of the atoms.
What do the sticks in this methane model represent?
Chemical connections between atoms. Ball-and-stick models help compare connections and spatial arrangement. Real molecules have electron distributions and vibrating nuclei, not coloured balls joined by rods.
Sources and model scope
Atomic centres use a PubChem computed 3D conformer, scaled for display.