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

1 Answer
anor277
Feb 15, 2016

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

Explanation:

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.

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