Chemical formula of methane is CH4.
Physical Properties of Methane:
| Properties | Details |
| Boiling Point | -161.5 °C |
| Chemical Formula | CH₄ |
| Color | Colorless |
| Density | 0.717 kg/m³ |
| Melting Point | -182.5 °C |
| Molecular Weight | 16.04 g/mol |
| Odor | Odorless (though methane can be detected by a distinct “rotten egg” odor when mixed with certain substances) |
| Solubility | Insoluble in water |
| Specific Heat Capacity | 2.20 kJ/kg·K |
| State at Room Temperature | Gas |
| Thermal Conductivity | 0.0314 W/m·K |
| Vapor Pressure | 1170 kPa at 25 °C |
Chemical Properties of Methane:
| Properties | Details |
| Combustion | Reacts with oxygen to produce carbon dioxide and water |
| Flammability | Highly flammable gas; burns in the presence of oxygen |
| Halogenation | Under specific conditions, can react with halogens (e.g., chlorine) |
| Methane as a Greenhouse Gas | Considered a potent greenhouse gas, contributing to climate change |
| Methane Conversion | Can undergo various conversion processes, such as steam reforming, methane-to-methanol, etc. |
| Methane Hydrates | Forms solid methane hydrates under high pressure and low temperature |
| Oxidation | Can be oxidized to carbon dioxide and water |
| Reactivity | Relatively unreactive under normal conditions |
Reaction of methane
Alkali Metal
| Alkali Metal | Reaction with Methane | Chemical Equation |
| Lithium | Forms lithium methyl, a salt ,hydrogen gas | 2 Li + CH4 → Li2CH3 + H2 |
| Sodium | Forms sodium methyl ,hydrogen gas | 2 Na + CH4 → Na2CH3 + H2 |
| Potassium | Forms potassium methyl, hydrogen gas, ,potassium oxide | 2 K + CH4 → K2CH3 + H2 + K2O |
| Rubidium | Forms rubidium methyl ,hydrogen gas | 2 Rb + CH4 → Rb2CH3 + H2 |
| Cesium | Forms cesium methyl ,hydrogen gas | 2 Cs + CH4 → Cs2CH3 + H2 |
Alkaline Earth Metal
| Alkaline Earth Metal | Reaction with Methane | Chemical Equation |
| Magnesium | Forms magnesium methyl ,hydrogen gas | Mg + CH4 → MgCH3 + H2 |
| Calcium | Forms calcium methyl, hydrogen gas, ,calcium oxide | Ca + 2 CH4 → Ca(CH3)2 + 2 H2 + CaO |
| Strontium | Forms strontium methyl ,hydrogen gas | Sr + 2 CH4 → Sr(CH3)2 + 2 H2 |
| Barium | Forms barium methyl, hydrogen gas, ,barium oxide | Ba + 2 CH4 → Ba(CH3)2 + 2 H2 + BaO |
| Radium | Forms radium methyl ,hydrogen gas | Ra + 2 CH4 → Ra(CH3)2 + 2 H2 |
Transition Metal
| Transition Metal | Reaction with Methane | Chemical Equation |
| Iron | Forms iron carbide (Fe3C), also known as cementite | 3 Fe + 2 CH4 → Fe3C + 6 H2 |
| Nickel | Forms nickel carbonyl (Ni(CO)4) | Ni + 4 CO + CH4 → Ni(CO)4 + 2 H2 |
| Cobalt | Forms cobalt carbonyl (Co2(CO)8) | Co + 4 CO + 2 CH4 → Co2(CO)8 + 3 H2 |
| Platinum | Forms platinum black, a finely divided platinum powder | 2 Pt + 3 CH4 → Pt3CH + 3 H2 |
| Palladium | Forms palladium black, a finely divided palladium powder | 2 Pd + 3 CH4 → Pd3CH + 3 H2 |
| Copper | Forms copper ,hydrogen gas | Cu + 2 CH4 → CuCH3 + H2 |
| Silver | Forms silver ,hydrogen gas | 2 Ag + CH4 → 2 AgCH3 + H2 |
| Gold | Forms gold ,hydrogen gas | 2 Au + 3 CH4 → 2 AuCH3 + H2 |
| Non-Transition Metal | Reaction with Methane | Chemical Equation |
| Aluminum | Forms aluminum oxide (Al2O3) ,hydrogen gas | 2 Al + 3 CH4 → Al2O3 + 6 H2 |
| Boron | Forms boron nitride (BN) ,hydrogen gas | 4 B + NH3 + 3 CH4 → BN + 12 H2 |
| Carbon | Forms carbon black ,hydrogen gas | C + CH4 → 2H2 + C(s) |
| Silicon | Forms silicon carbide (SiC) ,hydrogen gas | Si + CH4 → SiC + 2 H2 |
| Germanium | Forms germanium ,hydrogen gas | Ge + 2 CH4 → GeH4 + 2 H2 |
| Tin | Forms tin(IV) hydride (SnH4) ,hydrogen gas | Sn + 2 CH4 → SnH4 + 2 H2 |
| Lead | Forms lead(IV) hydride (PbH4) ,hydrogen gas | Pb + 2 CH4 → PbH4 + 2 H2 |
| Nitrogen | Forms hydrogen cyanide (HCN) ,ammonia (NH3) | CH4 + N2 → HCN + 3 H2 |
| Oxygen | Forms carbon dioxide (CO2) ,water (H2O) | CH4 + 2 O2 → CO2 + 2 H2O |
| Fluorine | Forms fluoromethane (CH3F) ,hydrogen fluoride (HF) | CH4 + 2 F2 → CH3F + 2 HF |
| Chlorine | Forms chloromethane (CH3Cl) ,hydrogen chloride (HCl) | CH4 + Cl2 → CH3Cl + HCl |
| Bromine | Forms bromomethane (CH3Br) ,hydrogen bromide (HBr) | CH4 + Br2 → CH3Br + HBr |
| Iodine | Forms iodomethane (CH3I) ,hydrogen iodide (HI) | CH4 + I2 → CH3I + HI |
Non-Metal
| Non-Metal | Reaction with Methane | Chemical Equation |
| Hydrogen | Forms hydrogen gas ,traces of carbon dioxide | CH4 + 2 H2 → 4 H2 + CO2 |
| Chlorine | Forms methyl chloride (CH3Cl), hydrogen chloride (HCl), ,dichloromethane (CH2Cl2) | CH4 + Cl2 → CH3Cl + HCl + CH2Cl2 |
| Fluorine | Forms fluoromethane (CH3F) ,hydrogen fluoride (HF) | CH4 + 2 F2 → CH3F + 2 HF |
| Oxygen | Forms formaldehyde (CH2O) ,water (H2O) | CH4 + O2 → CH2O + 2 H2O |
| Sulfur | Forms hydrogen sulfide (H2S) ,carbon disulfide (CS2) | CH4 + 2 S → H2S + CS2 |
| Nitrogen | Forms hydrogen cyanide (HCN) ,ammonia (NH3) | CH4 + N2 → HCN + 3 H2 |
| Phosphorus | Forms phosphine (PH3) ,traces of methane (CH4) | CH4 + P4 → 4 PH3 + traces of CH4 |
| Carbon | Forms acetylene (C2H2) ,hydrogen gas | CH4 + C → C2H2 + 2 H2 |
| Silicon | Forms silicon carbide (SiC) ,hydrogen gas | CH4 + Si → SiC + 2 H2 |
| Boron | Forms boron nitride (BN) ,hydrogen gas | CH4 + 2 BN → B2N4 + 4 H2 |
| Selenium | Forms dimethyl selenide (DMSe) ,hydrogen gas | CH4 + Se → DMSe + 2 H2 |
| Tellurium | Forms dimethyl telluride (DMTe) ,hydrogen gas | CH4 + Te → DMTe + 2 H2 |
Noble Gas
| Noble Gas | Reaction with Methane | Chemical Equation |
| Xenon | Forms xenon difluoride (XeF2) ,tetrafluoromethane (CF4) | CH4 + 2 XeF2 → CF4 + Xe + 2 XeF4 |
Lanthanide
| Lanthanide | Reaction with Methane | Chemical Equation |
| Cerium | Forms cerium oxide (CeO2) ,water (H2O) | 2 CH4 + 3 CeO2 → 2 CO2 + 3 Ce2O3 + 4 H2O |
| Samarium | Forms samarium oxide (Sm2O3) ,water (H2O) | CH4 + 2 Sm2O3 → CO2 + 4 SmO + 3 H2O |
| Europium | Forms europium carbide (EuC2) ,hydrogen gas | CH4 + Eu → EuC2 + 2 H2 |
Actinide
| Actinide | Reaction with Methane | Chemical Equation |
| Uranium | Forms uranium carbide (UC) ,hydrogen gas | CH4 + 2 U → UC2 + 2 H2 |
| Plutonium | Forms plutonium carbide (PuC) ,hydrogen gas | 2 CH4 + 3 Pu → 2 PuC + 4 H2 + CO |
| Americium | Forms americium carbide (AmC) ,hydrogen gas | CH4 + Am → AmC + 2 H2 |