Which allotrope of carbon is characterized by a football-like spherical molecular structure consisting of 60 carbon atoms?

💡 Solution & Explanation

Buckminsterfullerene is a distinct allotrope of carbon represented by the chemical formula C60, where sixty carbon atoms are arranged in a polyhedral structure resembling a soccer ball with pentagonal and hexagonal faces. Other carbon allotropes like diamond and graphite possess giant covalent lattice and layered sheet structures respectively, lacking this discrete cage-like geometry. Fullerenes are widely studied in nanotechnology for their unique electrical and structural properties.