In the formation of methane (CH4), carbon (C) needs to form four bonds, one with each hydrogen atom (H). Carbon in its ground state has an electron configuration of 1s² 2s² 2p². This means it has only two unpaired electrons available for bonding, which is not enough to form four bonds with hydrogen.

a) When an electron gets promoted, it means that one of the 2s electrons from carbon is excited and moves to the 2p orbital. This results in carbon having four unpaired electrons, each in a different orbital (one in 2s and three in 2p). This configuration allows carbon to form four bonds, one for each unpaired electron, which is necessary for the formation of methane.

This process of electron promotion requires energy, but it is compensated by the energy released when the covalent bonds are formed. The resulting methane molecule is more stable than the separate carbon and hydrogen atoms, so the reaction is energetically favorable.

Question

In the formation of methane (CH4), carbon (C) needs to form four bonds, one with each hydrogen atom (H). Carbon in its ground state has an electron configuration of 1s² 2s² 2p². This means it has only two unpaired electrons available for bonding, which is not enough to form four bonds with hydrogen.

a) When an electron gets promoted, it means that one of the 2s electrons from carbon is excited and moves to the 2p orbital. This results in carbon having four unpaired electrons, each in a different orbital (one in 2s and three in 2p). This configuration allows carbon to form four bonds, one for each unpaired electron, which is necessary for the formation of methane.

This process of electron promotion requires energy, but it is compensated by the energy released when the covalent bonds are formed. The resulting methane molecule is more stable than the separate carbon and hydrogen atoms, so the reaction is energetically favorable.

Knowee AI · Accepted Answer

In the formation of methane (CH4), carbon (C) needs to form four bonds, one with each hydrogen atom (H). Carbon in its ground state has an electron configuration of 1s² 2s² 2p². This means it has only two unpaired electrons available for bonding, which is not enough to form four bonds with hydrogen.

a) When an electron gets promoted, it means that one of the 2s electrons from carbon is excited and moves to the 2p orbital. This results in carbon having four unpaired electrons, each in a different orbital (one in 2s and three in 2p). This configuration allows carbon to form four bonds, one for each unpaired electron, which is necessary for the formation of methane.

This process of electron promotion requires energy, but it is compensated by the energy released when the covalent bonds are formed. The resulting methane molecule is more stable than the separate carbon and hydrogen atoms, so the reaction is energetically favorable.

When carbon forms methane, CH4: a) Explain whathappens when an electron gets promoted.

Question

When carbon forms methane, CH4:

Solution

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