methane

Also known as CH4, marsh gas, methyl hydride, tetrahydridocarbon, Carbane, tetrahydrogen monocarbide, CH₄, nonessential gasotransmitter

Methane ( , ) is a chemical compound that has the chemical formula (one carbon atom bonded to four hydrogen atoms). It is a group-14 hydride, the simplest alkane, and the main constituent of natural gas. The abundance of methane on Earth makes it an economically attractive fuel, although capturing and storing it is difficult because it is a gas at standard temperature and pressure. In the Earth's atmosphere methane is transparent to visible light but absorbs infrared radiation, acting as a greenhouse gas. Methane is an organic hydrocarbon, and among the simplest of organic compounds.

AI overview

Methane is a simple chemical compound made of one carbon atom bonded to four hydrogen atoms, and it's the main ingredient in natural gas, making it a valuable fuel source. In Earth's atmosphere, methane traps heat by absorbing infrared radiation, which makes it a greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change, though it's difficult to capture and store because it's naturally a gas.

AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.

Chemical data

Formula: CH4
Molecular weight: 16.043 g/mol
IUPAC name: methane
SMILES: C
InChIKey: VNWKTOKETHGBQD-UHFFFAOYSA-N
XLogP: 0.6
Polar surface area: 0 Å²
H-bond donors: 0
H-bond acceptors: 0
Formal charge: 0

via PubChem

Research

54,580 papers

Utilisation of low methane concentrations by methanotrophs.ReviewAdvances in microbial physiology · 2024He L, Lidstrom MEDOI: 10.1016/bs.ampbs.2024.04.005
Physiology of atmospheric methane-oxidizing bacteria.ReviewCurrent opinion in microbiology · 2025Tveit AT, Dumont MG, Schmider TDOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2025.102656
Ion spectroscopy in methane activation.ReviewMass spectrometry reviews · 2022Roithová J, Bakker JMDOI: 10.1002/mas.21698
Quantitative assessment of methane bioconversion based on kinetics and bioenergetics.ReviewBioresource technology · 2024Hwang IY, Kalyuzhnaya MG, Lee EYDOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2024.131269
Methane emission from sewers.ReviewThe Science of the total environment · 2015Liu Y, Ni BJ, Sharma KR et al.DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.04.029
Strategies to Mitigate Enteric Methane Emissions from Ruminant Animals.ReviewJournal of microbiology and biotechnology · 2022Tseten T, Sanjorjo RA, Kwon M et al.DOI: 10.4014/jmb.2202.02019
Methane and the gastrointestinal tract.ReviewDigestive diseases and sciences · 2010Sahakian AB, Jee SR, Pimentel MDOI: 10.1007/s10620-009-1012-0
Methane Medicine: A Rising Star Gas with Powerful Anti-Inflammation, Antioxidant, and Antiapoptosis Properties.ReviewOxidative medicine and cellular longevity · 2018Jia Y, Li Z, Liu C et al.DOI: 10.1155/2018/1912746

via PubMed

Wikidata facts

Mass: 16.031
Image: Methane-graphic.svg
Autonomy: 537.8

Show 15 more facts

canonical SMILES: C
chemical formula: CH₄
Commons category: Methane
speed of sound: 450
standard molar entropy: 186.3
melting point: -182.46
boiling point: -161.48
standard enthalpy of formation: -74520
combustion enthalpy: -890.3
global warming potential: 84
ionization energy: 12.51
electric dipole moment: 0
density: 422.36
time of discovery or invention: 1777-00-00
ozone depletion potential: 0

Sources (15)

via Wikidata · CC0

~32 min read

Article

36 sections

Contents

Properties and bonding
Chemical reactions
Selective oxidation
Acid–base reactions
Combustion
Methane radical reactions
Uses
Fuel
Rocket propellant
Chemical feedstock
Refrigerant
Generation
Geological routes
Biological routes
Wetlands
Ruminants
Seafloor sediments
Industrial routes
Laboratory synthesis
Occurrence
Atmospheric methane and climate change
Clathrates
Public safety and the environment
Extraterrestrial methane
Interstellar medium
Mars
Titan
History
Etymology
Abbreviations
Safety
See also
Explanatory notes
Citations
Cited sources
External links

Naturally occurring methane is found both below ground and under the seafloor and is formed by both geological and biological processes. The largest reservoir of methane is under the seafloor in the form of methane clathrates. When methane reaches the surface and the atmosphere, it is known as atmospheric methane.