Which compound is the principal component of natural gas?

Methane is the principal component of natural gas. Its molecular formula is CH₄, meaning each molecule has one carbon atom bonded to four hydrogen atoms.

Methane is the simplest alkane and has a tetrahedral molecular shape. It is colorless and odorless in its pure form; the distinctive smell of commercial natural gas comes from added odorants, commonly sulfur-containing compounds, to help people detect leaks.

Natural gas is a mixture rather than a single pure substance. It usually contains mostly methane along with smaller amounts of ethane, propane, butane, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and other gases. Methane is also produced by anaerobic microbes in wetlands, landfills, rice agriculture, and the digestive systems of some animals.

Methane burns to form carbon dioxide and water when sufficient oxygen is present. It is a potent greenhouse gas, so leaks during extraction, processing, and transport can affect climate. Methane is not the same as propane or butane, which are larger hydrocarbons often used in liquefied petroleum gas.