The dihedral angle between two C-H bonds the staggered conformation of ehtane is

Options

A. `180^@`
B. `0^@`
C. `120^@`
D. `60^@`

Answer

To determine the dihedral angle between two C-H bonds in the staggered conformation of ethane, we can follow these steps:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Understand Ethane Structure**: Ethane (C2H6) consists of two carbon atoms connected by a single bond, with each carbon atom bonded to three hydrogen atoms.

2. **Identify Conformations**: Ethane can adopt different conformations due to rotation around the C-C bond. The two primary conformations are the staggered and eclipsed conformations. In the staggered conformation, the hydrogen atoms on adjacent carbons are positioned as far apart as possible.

3. **Visualize the Staggered Conformation**: In the staggered conformation, when you look at the C-H bonds, they alternate positions. For example, if one C-H bond is pointing upwards, the adjacent C-H bond will be pointing downwards, creating a staggered effect.

4. **Determine the Dihedral Angle**: The dihedral angle is defined as the angle between two intersecting planes. In the case of the staggered conformation of ethane, the angle between two C-H bonds on adjacent carbon atoms is measured.

5. **Calculate the Angle**: In the staggered conformation, the dihedral angle between the two C-H bonds is 60 degrees. This is because there are six positions around the C-C bond, and the staggered arrangement allows for a 60-degree separation between adjacent C-H bonds.

### Final Answer:
The dihedral angle between the two C-H bonds in the staggered conformation of ethane is **60 degrees**.

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