Methane

Methane
	Preferred IUPAC name Methane
	Systematic name Carbane (never recommended)
Other names	Marsh gas; Natural gas; Carbon tetrahydride; Hydrogen carbide;
Identifiers
CAS number	74-82-8
PubChem	297
EC number	200-812-7
KEGG	C01438
MeSH	Methane
ChEBI	CHEBI:16183
RTECS number	PA1490000
SMILES	C
Beilstein Reference	1718732
Gmelin Reference	59
3DMet	B01453
Properties
Molecular formula	CH4
Molar mass	16.04 g mol-1
Appearance	Colorless gas
Odor	Odorless
Density	0.657 g·L−1 (gas, 25 °C, 1 atm); 0.717 g·L−1 (gas, 0 °C, 1 atm); 422.62 g·L−1 (liquid, −162 °C);
Melting point	-182 °C, 90.7 K, -296 °F
Boiling point
Solubility in water	22.7 mg·L−1
Solubility	Soluble in ethanol, diethyl ether, benzene, toluene, methanol, acetone and insoluble in water
log P	1.09
kH	14 nmol·Pa−1·kg−1
Magnetic susceptibility (χ)	−12.2×10−6 cm3·mol−1
Structure
Point group	Td
Molecular shape	Tetrahedron
Dipole moment	0 D
Thermochemistry
Std enthalpy of; formation ΔfHo298	−74.87 kJ·mol−1
Std enthalpy of; combustion ΔcHo298	−891.1 to −890.3 kJ·mol−1
Standard molar; entropy So298	186.25 J·(K·mol)−1
Specific heat capacity, C	35.69 J·(K·mol)−1
Hazards
NFPA 704	4 2 0
Explosive limits	4.4–17%
	Except where noted otherwise, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C, 100 kPa)

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Methane is an organic compound with the chemical formula C H₄. It is an alkane with one carbon atom. It is often found as the main part of natural gas. Methane is a greenhouse gas^[4]^[5] 23 times more effective than carbon dioxide. It is also less stable and slowly oxidates by oxygen to carbon dioxide and water.

Uses

Methane is used in gas taps in places such as kitchens, chemistry classrooms, laboratories, etc. as it burns very easily because of its simple molecular structure.

Molecular structure

Methane's molecular structure is very simple. It is a single carbon atom surrounded by four hydrogen atoms.

Production

Methane can be made by many chemical ways, but usually is found in natural gas and is obtained by fractional distillation, after it has become liquid.

Methane Media

Covalently bonded hydrogen and carbon in a molecule of methane.
Methane bubbles can be burned on a wet hand without injury.
Global methane budget (2017). Shows natural sources and sinks (green), anthropogenic sources (orange), and mixed natural and anthropogenic sources (hatched orange-green for 'biomass and biofuel burning').
Abiotic sources of methane have been found in more than 20 countries and in several deep ocean regions so far.
Testing Australian sheep for exhaled methane production (2001), CSIRO
This image represents a ruminant, specifically a sheep, producing methane in the four stages of hydrolysis, acidogenesis, acetogenesis, and methanogenesis.
This diagram shows a method for producing methane sustainably. See: electrolysis, sabatier reaction
Bar graph of sources global of methane emissions. Energy sector emissions are from the Global Methane Tracker for 2021; non-energy sector emissions are the average of estimates available from UNFCCC, CAIT, EDGAR and CEDS for 2018 or 2019. Natural sources and biomass burning are top-down median estimates and bottom-up median estimates respectively from the Global Methane Budget for 2017.
An International Energy Agency graphic showing the potential of various emission reduction policies for addressing global methane emissions.

References

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 "Front Matter". Nomenclature of Organic Chemistry : IUPAC Recommendations and Preferred Names 2013 (Blue Book). Cambridge: The Royal Society of Chemistry. 2014. pp. 3–4. doi:10.1039/9781849733069-FP001. ISBN 978-0-85404-182-4. Methane is a retained name (see P-12.3) that is preferred to the systematic name 'carbane', a name never recommended to replace methane, but used to derive the names 'carbene' and 'carbyne' for the radicals H₂C^2• and HC^3•, respectively.
↑ "Gas Encyclopedia". Archived from the original on December 26, 2018. Retrieved November 7, 2013.
↑ NOAA Office of Response and Restoration, US GOV. "METHANE". noaa.gov.
↑ White House Unveils Plans to Cut Methane Emissions March 28, 2014 New York Times
↑ Brad Plumer (December 12, 2016). "Methane levels in the atmosphere are now rising at their fastest pace in decades; It's a big problem for climate change". Vox.com. Retrieved 18 December 2016.

[iupac2013-1] 1.0 ^1.1 "Front Matter". Nomenclature of Organic Chemistry : IUPAC Recommendations and Preferred Names 2013 (Blue Book). Cambridge: The Royal Society of Chemistry. 2014. pp. 3–4. doi:10.1039/9781849733069-FP001. ISBN 978-0-85404-182-4. Methane is a retained name (see P-12.3) that is preferred to the systematic name 'carbane', a name never recommended to replace methane, but used to derive the names 'carbene' and 'carbyne' for the radicals H₂C^2• and HC^3•, respectively.

[airliquide-2] "Gas Encyclopedia". Archived from the original on December 26, 2018. Retrieved November 7, 2013.

[3] NOAA Office of Response and Restoration, US GOV. "METHANE". noaa.gov.

[4] White House Unveils Plans to Cut Methane Emissions March 28, 2014 New York Times

[5] Brad Plumer (December 12, 2016). "Methane levels in the atmosphere are now rising at their fastest pace in decades; It's a big problem for climate change". Vox.com. Retrieved 18 December 2016.

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