Browse by Stream
QnA
Home
QnA
Go To Your Study Dashboard

Get Answers to all your Questions

header-bg qa
  • Home
  • NCERT
  • Apart from tetrahedral geometry , another possible geometry for CH_4 is square planar with the four H atoms at the corners of the square and the C atom at its centre.

Apart from tetrahedral geometry, another possible geometry for \mathrm{CH}_4  is square planar with the four H atoms at the corners of the square and the C atom at its center. Explain why \mathrm{CH}_4 is not square planar.

Answers (1)

best_answer

The electronic configuration of carbon atoms is C: 1 s^2 2 s^2 2 p^2.

Where it has s-orbital, p-orbital only and there is no d-orbital present.

Hence the carbon atom undergoes s p^3 hybridization in methane molecule and takes a tetrahedral shape.

And for a molecule to have a square planar structure it must have d orbital present.

But here the absence of d-orbital, as a result, does not undergo d s p^2 hybridization, the structure of methane cannot be square planar.

Also, the reason that the bond angle in square planar 90^{\circ}  makes the molecule more unstable is because of the repulsion between the bond pairs.

Hence according to VSEPR theory, \mathrm{CH}_4 molecules take a tetrahedral structure.

Posted by

Divya Prakash Singh

View full answer

Crack CUET with india's "Best Teachers"

  • HD Video Lectures
  • Unlimited Mock Tests
  • Faculty Support
cuet_ads

Similar Questions

Trending Articles/News

anam-khan

PM Modi's Pariksha Pe Charcha 2025 to be held next month, registrations open till January 14
anam-khan

CBSE Board Exams 2025: Online portal for availing exemptions by CWSN students opens
anam-khan

Board Exams: States agree to equivalence; no question paper ‘jumbling’ from next year, says PARAKH CEO

Latest Question