Carbon atoms arranged in a sphere are called which class of carbon?

• A. Diamond
• B. Graphite
• C. Fullerene
• D. Nanotube

Answer: (C)

Fullerenes are carbon structures that form closed hollow cages. The most famous example is a spherical molecule called C60, often described as a soccer-ball shape made from 12 pentagons and 20 hexagons. This spherical arrangement sets fullerenes apart from other forms of carbon. Diamond is a rigid 3D network of carbon atoms bonded in tetrahedral sp3 bonds, giving extreme hardness. Graphite consists of flat layers of carbon atoms arranged in hexagonal rings, stacked with weaker forces between layers, so it’s not a closed sphere. Nanotubes are cylindrical tubes formed by rolling graphene into a tube, again not spherical. So, carbon atoms arranged in a sphere belong to fullerenes.