buckminsterfullerene

American  

[buhk-min-ster-fool-uh-reen] / ˌbʌk mɪn stərˈfʊl əˌrin /

noun

1. the form of fullerene having sixty carbon atoms.

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buckminsterfullerene British  

/ ˌbʌkmɪnstəˈfʊləˌriːn /

noun

1. a form of carbon that contains molecules having 60 carbon atoms arranged at the vertices of a polyhedron with hexagonal and pentagonal faces. It is produced in carbon arcs and occurs naturally in small amounts in certain minerals

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buckminsterfullerene Scientific  

/ bŭk′mĭn-stər-fl′ə-rēn′ /

1. An extremely stable, ball-shaped carbon molecule whose structure looks like a geodesic dome. It is believed to occur naturally in soot, and was the first fullerene to be discovered. Also called buckyball. Chemical formula: C ₆₀.

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Etymology

Origin of buckminsterfullerene

First recorded in 1985; fullerene