Methane is lighter than air, having a specific gravity of 0.554. It is only slightly soluble in water. It burns readily in air, forming carbon dioxide
and water vapour; the flame is pale, slightly luminous, and very hot.
The boiling point of methane is −162 °C (−259.6 °F) and the melting
point is −182.5 °C (−296.5 °F). Methane in general is very stable, but
mixtures of methane and air, with the methane content between 5 and 14
percent by volume, are explosive. Explosions of such mixtures have been
frequent in coal mines and collieries and have been the cause of many
mine disasters.
