a compound that contains one or more carbons in a carbon chain
carbon makes four covalent bonds so it forms many compounds, which are called organic compounds
methane has the formula CH4, each carbon atom bonds covalentely with four hydrogen atoms
these four bonds mean that methane is not a flat molecule. it has a tetrahedral structure, this is because the bones are as separated from each other as possible, negative electron pairs repel each other, with each bond angle being 109.5