Methane

High school (ages 12+)
Science & Technology

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/methane

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is Methane known for?Approximately 20% of total from long-lived greenhouse gases (2021 IPCC)
2. What is the chemical formula?CH4
3. What is the classification?Simplest alkane and hydrocarbon
4. What is methane and why is it called an invisible gas?Methane is a simple gas made of one carbon atom bonded to four hydrogen atoms. It has no color, smell, or taste, so we can’t see it.
5. Where does methane come from?Methane comes from deep underground, from the earth’s crust, and from living things like cows, wetlands, and landfills. It can also be trapped in ice called methane clathrates.

Hydrocarbon: A class of organic compounds composed solely of carbon and hydrogen atoms.
Alkane: Saturated hydrocarbons characterized by single covalent bonds between carbon atoms.
Greenhouse Gas: Atmospheric gases that absorb and emit infrared radiation, trapping heat.
Methane Clathrates: Crystalline solids formed from water and methane under specific pressure and temperature conditions.