Chapter 1, Problem 12CTQ

Consider the following flat drawing of methane $\left({\text{CH}}_{\text{4}}\right)$ .
a. What is $\angle \text{HCH}$ bond angle implied by this drawing if you assume it is flat?

b. Are the electron domains of this flat ${\text{CH}}_4$ spread out as much as possible?
c. Use model materials to make a model of ${\text{CH}}_4$ (methane). If you assembled it correctly, thefour bonds (bonding electron domains) of your model will be 109.5° apart.
d. In which representation, the drawing above or the model in your hand (circle one) are theH’s of ${\text{CH}}_4$ more spread out around the central carbon?
e. Confirm that your model looks like the following drawing. The wedgebond represents a bond coming out of the page, and the dash bondrepresents a bond going into the page
f. You will often see methane drawn as if it were flat (like on the previous page). Why is thismisleading, and what is left to the viewer’s imagination when looking at such a drawing?