Apart from tetrahedral geometry, another possible geometry for ` CH_(4)` is square planar with four
H atoms at the corners of the square and the C atom as its centre . Explain why `CH_(4)` is not square planar .

Explanation

To explain why `CH₄` (methane) is not square planar, we can follow these steps:

### Step 1: Understanding the Electronic Configuration of Carbon
Carbon has an atomic number of 6, which means its electronic configuration in the ground state is:
- 1s² 2s² 2p²

### Step 2: Excitation of Electrons
In order to form bonds with hydrogen, one of the 2s electrons is promoted to the 2p orbital. The excited state configuration becomes:
...