Hybridisation in the Formation of Methane Molecule

Hybridisation is a chemical process in which orbitals of different energy levels mix to form new hybrid orbitals. Methane (CH4) molecule is formed by the combination of one carbon atom and four hydrogen atoms. The hybridisation that occurs in the formation of methane molecule is sp3-hybridisation.

Explanation:

- Carbon has an atomic number of 6, which means it has six electrons. In the ground state, these electrons are present in the 1s2, 2s2, and 2p2 orbitals.
- To form methane molecule, carbon needs to share its four valence electrons with four hydrogen atoms. This means that carbon needs four more unpaired electrons to complete its octet.
- To accommodate these four electrons, carbon undergoes sp3-hybridisation. In this process, one 2s orbital and three 2p orbitals hybridise to form four sp3 hybrid orbitals. Each hybrid orbital contains one electron of carbon.
- These four sp3 hybrid orbitals are then used to form covalent bonds with four hydrogen atoms. Each hydrogen atom supplies one electron to form a covalent bond with carbon.
- Each covalent bond in methane is formed by the overlap of a hybridised sp3 orbital of carbon with an s orbital of hydrogen. This results in the formation of four identical C-H bonds in methane molecule.

Conclusion:

Thus, in the formation of methane molecule, sp3-hybridisation occurs in the carbon atom to form four sp3 hybrid orbitals. These hybrid orbitals then participate in the formation of covalent bonds with four hydrogen atoms by overlapping with their s orbitals.

One s and three p orbitals overlap with the s orbitals of the 4 H atoms. This results in in sp³ hybridization.