Formation
Locations of Methane Hydrate
Hydrate deposits
are found in a vast majority of regions
around the world. Like previously stated,
deposits can reach hundreds of meters thick
in arctic environments and sub-ocean floors.
The colder the region, the higher the
possibility of large reserve formations.
This is because methane, a gas, requires low
temperatures to solidify with the water
content below the surface of the ground.
If we break down to
the physics in the molecular level, we know
that an object in motion stays in motion
until an outside force acts on it (Newton's
First Law). Also, according to the
University of Waterloo science website, "the
kinetic theory of gases correlates between
macroscopic properties and microscopic
phenomena. Kinetics means the study of
motion, and in this case, motions of gas
molecules."
Since
methane has a high kinetic (KE) value in
it's gaseous state, it's reaction with the
liquid/solid state of water (a lower KE
value) will bring down the KE of the methane
gas. Eventually, enough water molecules will
slow down the gaseous methane molecules
(which have now lost all of their initial KE
and velocity), which will result in a
solidified hydrate state.
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