The molecule CH3CH2CH3, commonly known as propane, has a specific three-dimensional shape due to the arrangement of its atoms. Propane is an alkane, which means it is composed solely of carbon and hydrogen atoms with single bonds between the carbon atoms.
To understand the shape of propane, we need to consider the tetrahedral geometry around each carbon atom. Each carbon atom in propane is bonded to four other atoms (either carbon or hydrogen). The electron pairs around each carbon atom repel each other, resulting in a spatial arrangement that minimizes this repulsion.
In propane:
- The two terminal carbon atoms (the CH3 groups) are connected to three hydrogen atoms each and the central carbon atom.
- The central carbon atom (the CH2 group) is bonded to two hydrogen atoms and the two terminal carbon atoms.
This arrangement leads to a linear shape along the carbon chain when viewed from one end to the other. However, when looking at the molecule in three-dimensional space, each carbon forms a tetrahedral geometry. Hence, the overall shape of propane can be described as a branched chain with a linear conformation, though it appears somewhat zigzag when viewed in a 2D projection.
In summary, the shape deduced for the molecule CH3CH2CH3 is a branched chain with a combination of tetrahedral geometry around the carbons and a generally linear arrangement in three dimensions.