Welcome to the CAChe Molecular Modeling Tutorials

Department of Chemistry

University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown

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Building Small Molecules - II

Task: Build Methane, CH4

Time: 2 minutes

In the first steps of building a molecule you use the Atom icon to build the atoms and bonds that constitute the molecule.

  1. Begin with a new Workspace.  Select File|New from the menu bar.

  2. Select the Atom icon . Your cursor turns into the atom tool .

  3. Select the arrow button in the element type box and select carbon.  Make sure the hybridization is sp3 .

  4. Click in the workspace to draw a carbon atom .

  5. This time to add the hydrogen atoms we'll use Beautify|Comprehensive from the menu bar  .
  6. All of the hydrogen atoms will appear in a tetrahedral arrangement about the carbon.
  7. To save your finished molecule select File|Save and save it as "methane".

In the next lesson you will convert methane into ethane and convert the ethane molecule into butane.