Why the tetrahedral angle is 109 deg 28 min?

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SUMMARY

The tetrahedral angle, measuring 109 degrees and 28 minutes, is a fundamental concept in molecular geometry, particularly in the context of methane (CH4). This angle arises from the arrangement of hydrogen atoms around the carbon atom, which can be understood through coordinate geometry principles. The calculation of this angle can be demonstrated by visualizing a cube and drawing lines from its midpoint to each corner, establishing the tetrahedral structure. Resources such as the links provided in the discussion offer further insights into the mathematical derivation of this angle.

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Hope my question is understood.
 
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AlbertEinstein said:
Hope my question is understood.

No it isn't. Please note that if you're too lazy to explain the context of your question, then it is foolish of you to expect people to spend time and effort to give you thoughtful responses.

Zz.
 
your identifying a special case. You would need to delve into quantum mechanics. In addition, to which molecule are your referring?
 
To the original poster: try a Google search on "tetrahedral angle" (including the quotes, to keep the words together). Some of the first few hits look like they might be what you're looking for.
 
As posed, the question in the OP has nothing to do with physics (or chemistry) - it is a standard high school level exercise in either co-ordinate geometry or vectors.
 
Sorry for forgetting my question for a long time, I am really sorry.
I wanted to ask that in methane the HCH angle is 109 deg 28 min. How in theory is this calculated ? If this has to something with co-ordinate geometry, I would like a bit clarification.I hope my question is clear this time and I'm in the right forum.

Thanks.
 
Last edited:
See these links:http://jchemed.chem.wisc.edu/journal/issues/1997/Sep/abs1086.html
http://www.chem.unl.edu/cak/bk5.htm
 
Last edited by a moderator:
The tetrahedral angle can be formed by taking the midpoint of a cube and drawing four lines from this midpoint out to every other corner. It's then pretty easy to prove the angle.
 

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