Methane

Methane is a colorless odorless gas. It is also known as marsh gas or methyl hydride. It is easily ignited. The vapors are lighter than air. Under prolonged exposure to fire or intense heat the containers may rupture violently and rocket. It is used in making other chemicals and as a constituent of the fuel, natural gas.

Chemical Structure Depiction

Methane is a one-carbon compound in which the carbon is attached by single bonds to four hydrogen atoms. It is a colourless, odourless, non-toxic but flammable gas (b.p. -161℃). It has a role as a fossil fuel, a member of greenhouse gas and a bacterial metabolite. It is a mononuclear parent hydride, a one-carbon compound, a gas molecular entity and an alkane. It is a conjugate acid of a methanide.

Natural gas, refrigerated liquid (cryogenic liquid) appears as a flammable liquefied gaseous mixture of straight chain hydrocarbons, predominately methane.