RM
Methane hydrate molecule, artwork
Methane hydrate molecule. Computer artwork showing the structure of a molecule of methane hydrate, also known as methane ice or methane clathrate. Atoms are represented as spheres and are colour-coded: carbon (black), hydrogen (white) and oxygen (red). Methane hydrate consists of a molecule of methane (black and white, centre), surrounded by a cage of water molecules (red and white). The whole structure is known as a clathrate. It is found in the very cold and high pressure environments under the arctic permafrost and in marine sediments, where it forms a crystalline solid. It is thought there is approximately 3000 times the volume of methane in hydrates than in the atmosphere, making it a huge potential energy source.
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