Question

How would you prepare Methane?

Answer 1

1. Methane is prepared by the reaction between Sodium ethanoate and Soda lime.
2. When Sodium ethanoate is heated with Sodium hydroxide in the presence of Calcium oxide, Sodium carbonate is formed with the evolution of Methane gas.
3. The reaction occur at ${300}^{\circ }\mathrm{C}$to give methane as the product.
4. The chemical reaction is as follows:
   $\underset{(\mathrm{Sodium}\mathrm{ethanoate})}{{\mathrm{CH}}_3\mathrm{COONa}\left(aq\right)}+\underset{(\mathrm{Sodium}\mathrm{hydroxide})}{\mathrm{NaOH}\left(aq\right)}\underset{{300}^{\circ }\mathrm{C}}{\overset{\mathrm{CaO}}{\to }}\underset{(\mathrm{Sodium}\mathrm{carbonate})}{{\mathrm{Na}}_2{\mathrm{CO}}_3\left(aq\right)}+\underset{\left(\mathrm{Methane}\right)}{{\mathrm{CH}}_4\left(\mathrm{g}\right)}$