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Glite Dictionary
buckminsterfullerene

buckminsterfullerene

1 9.9
A round molecule made of sixty carbon atoms like a small soccer ball
  • noun
  • /ˌbʌk.mɪn.stərˈfʊl.ə.riːn/
  • Specialized
: buckminsterfullerene
  • It is also the overall structure of the C60 molecule, Buckminsterfullerene.
  • buckminsterfullerene, or buckyball
  • buckminsterfullerene carbon-60 molecule

Examples

  • Thumbkin was able to attract his attention only by using a pair of straight pins as pitons and some buckminsterfullerene monofilament to climb up his pant leg and suit jacket, after which he buttonholed the multibillionaire.

    Fiction book (2002)

  • Buckminsterfullerene, often called a 'buckyball', is a spherical structure made up of 60 carbon atoms.

  • The discovery of buckminsterfullerene marked a significant milestone in the field of nanotechnology.

  • Scientists studied buckminsterfullerene to explore its potential applications in medicine and materials science.

Synonyms

buckyball
vsbuckminsterfullerene
  • Specialized
1 8.9

A round molecule made of 60 carbon atoms shaped like a tiny hollow ball

is the same molecule but uses the longer scientific name form

Surface Forms

buckminsterfullerene singular
buckminsterfullerenes plural

Morphology

buckminsterfullerene = Buckminster + fullerene (opaque) = buckminster + fullerene

The term is an eponymic compound combining a proper name with a specialized chemical class; knowing the parts does not let a typical learner infer the molecular meaning.

Etymology

Buckminsterfullerene is named after the architect Buckminster Fuller because the molecule's shape looks like the dome designs he made. The fullerene part means a family of carbon molecules, and the best-known one, C60, looks like a tiny 'soccer ball' made of 60 carbon atoms, which explains the name.