The bond angle for a symmetric tetrahedral molecule such as CH4 may be calculated using the dot product of two vectors.

As shown in the diagram, the dot product here is –1 and the length of each vector is √3, so that cos θ = –⁠1/3⁠ and the tetrahedral bond angle θ = arccos(–⁠1/3⁠) ≃ 109.47°.An alternative proof using trigonometry is shown in the diagram at right.

Illustrative examples include tetrakis(triphenylphosphine)palladium(0) (Pd[P(C6H5)3]4), nickel carbonyl (Ni(CO)4), and titanium tetrachloride (TiCl4).

The inorganic polymer silicon disulfide features an infinite chain of edge-shared tetrahedra.

[5] Inversion of tetrahedra occurs widely in organic and main group chemistry.

Geometrical constraints in a molecule can cause a severe distortion of idealized tetrahedral geometry.

[6] The carbon atom lies at or near the apex of a square pyramid with the other four groups at the corners.

An inorganic example is tetraphosphorus (P4) which has four phosphorus atoms at the vertices of a tetrahedron and each bonded to the other three.