It's not "combust methane," but rather the combustion of methane. Here's how to figure out the number of atoms:

1. The Combustion Reaction:

The balanced chemical equation for the complete combustion of methane (CH₄) is:

CH₄ + 2O₂ → CO₂ + 2H₂O

2. Counting Atoms on Each Side:

* Reactants (Left side):

* 1 Carbon atom (C)

* 4 Hydrogen atoms (H)

* 4 Oxygen atoms (O)

* Products (Right side):

* 1 Carbon atom (C)

* 4 Hydrogen atoms (H)

* 4 Oxygen atoms (O)

3. Total Atoms:

In the combustion reaction of methane, there are a total of 9 atoms involved (1 carbon, 4 hydrogen, and 4 oxygen). Note that this number remains the same throughout the reaction, as the atoms are simply rearranged.