Which allotrope of carbon consists of a hollow sphere, ellipsoid, or tube of carbon atoms, famously shaped like a football?

💡 Solution & Explanation

Fullerenes are allotropes of carbon comprising molecules arranged in closed hollow spheres, ellipsoids, or cylindrical tubes resembling a football, with Buckminsterfullerene being the most famous example. Diamond and graphite have entirely different crystalline lattices, while graphene is a two-dimensional planar sheet. Fullerenes have significant applications in nanotechnology and material science.