Ethane can have an infinite number of conformations due to the nearly free rotation around the carbon-carbon single bond. The two extreme conformations are the eclipsed and staggered forms. In the eclipsed conformation, the hydrogen atoms attached to the two carbons are as close together as possible. This results in maximum repulsive interaction between their electron clouds (maximum torsional strain), making it the least stable conformer . The dihedral angle (or torsional angle) in the eclipsed conformation is $0^{\circ}$. Conversely, the staggered conformation, where the hydrogen atoms are as far apart as possible (dihedral angle of $60^{\circ}$), has minimum torsional strain and is the most stable .