"The Molecule"

This is the Fullerene C₂₀ Molecule.

It is the smallest of the Fullerenes and was the last one to be synthesized due to its small size and due to internal pressures it is rather unstable.  Its crystalline structure is a “Pentagonal Dodecahedron”.

It is not to be confused with the Fullerene C₆₀ or Buckminsterfullerene (Buckeyball) which has the shape of a soccer ball (futbol).  (Which when cut in half, it becomes a geodesic dome.)

Carbon when organized in rings of ‘5’ makes a spherical C₂₀, a Dodecahedron.

Carbon when organized in rings of ‘5’ and ‘6’ makes a spherical C₆₀, a Buckeyball

Carbon when organized in rings of ‘6’ makes a tubular C_n, a Nanotube.

For a 3D movable drawing of this and other variations on this theme, go to:

http://www.cochem2.tutkie.tut.ac.jp/Fuller/fsl/small.html

In the model above, the white balls represent Carbon Atoms, (20), while the blue sticks represent the bonds between the Carbon Atoms, (30), i.e. shared pairs of electrons.  The red sticks are not part of the model.

This molecular model was the inspiration for “the C-20” or “The Bubble House” concept in the spring of 1995.

Friday, February 27, 2009