Question

Methane molecule regarded as a nonpolar covalent compound because:
A. Methane is not symmetrical and electrically neutral
B. Methane has four carbon-hydrogen double covalent bonds
C. Shared pair lies between the atoms at an unequal distance from both carbon and
hydrogen atom
D. Shared electron pair is equally attracted by the nuclei of the two types of charge.

Answer 1

Answer:

D) Shared electron pair is equally attracted by the nuclei of the two types of charge.

Explanation:

Mathane has four hydrogen atoms bonded to the central atom carbon in a tetrahedral fashion.

The four hydrogen atoms are arranged around the central carbon atom in a symmetrical way having a bond angle of 107° 28'.

Eventhough individual C- H bond is polar, their symmetrical arrangement around the carbon atom, cancels the net dipole moment and hence nonpolar.

The shared electron pairs are equally attracted as the carbon atom attracts only hydrogen atoms and not any other atom (as methane has only hydrogen atoms around the nucleus).