Word: Buckyball
Part of Speech: Noun
Definition: A "buckyball" is a spherical molecule made up of carbon atoms. It looks like a soccer ball and is the first type of fullerene that was discovered. Fullerenes are a form of carbon that can take different shapes, but buckyballs are specifically shaped like a ball.
Usage Instructions:
General Use: You can use the word "buckyball" when talking about chemistry, materials science, or nanotechnology.
Context: It is often discussed in scientific contexts, especially when talking about carbon compounds or nanostructures.
Example Sentence:
Advanced Usage:
In advanced discussions, you might encounter terms like "C60" or "fullerene" when referring to buckyballs, as C60 is the chemical formula for the most common type of buckyball, which consists of 60 carbon atoms.
Word Variants:
Fullerene: A broader category that includes buckyballs and other shapes like buckytubes or carbon nanotubes.
Buckyball-like: An adjective describing something that has similar properties or structures to a buckyball.
Different Meanings:
Synonyms:
Idioms and Phrasal Verbs:
Summary:
"Buckyball" is a noun that refers to a unique structure made of carbon atoms, important in scientific research.