Question

Give reasons for the following:

C-60 was named buckminsterfullerene because…

Answer 1

• Fullerene is a naturally occurring allotropy of carbon in which 60 carbon atoms are linked to form a stable structure.
• This is the third allotrope of carbon discovered by Robert Curl, Harold Kroto, and Richard Smalley when they were studying certain long-chain molecules in the vicinity of red giant stars.
• C-60 was named buckminsterfullerene because the molecular structure looks like a football or the domed roof of the stadium developed by American engineer Buckminster fuller.

Conclusion: Thus it was named buckminsterfullerene it is often called Buckyball (tiny soccer ball).