What is the allotrope of carbon that consists of spherical or ellipsoidal molecules composed of sixty or more carbon atoms, resembling a geodesic dome?

💡 Solution & Explanation

Fullerenes are allotropes of carbon consisting of molecules composed of sixty or more carbon atoms arranged in a hollow sphere, ellipsoid, or tube, resembling geodesic domes designed by Buckminster Fuller. Unlike diamond and graphite which form extended lattices, fullerenes constitute discrete molecular clusters with unique semiconductor and lubricant properties. Graphene, another allotrope, consists of a single two-dimensional layer of carbon atoms arranged in a hexagonal lattice.