buckyball question

Many of the bonds are double see Buckyfullerenes

Rap

Hmm yes but isn't 4 single bonds more stable?

Depends upon geometry and bonding resonance (see aromatic compounds and roughly planar graphite as examples of bonding resonances)--

Geometry---C60 (fer instance) is a pretty good sized molecule, and the geometric constraints on a tetrahedral geometry of four single C-C bonds (sp3) isn't all that of a much of a hindrance when a molecule gets that large.

However, you are fundamentally right. Diamond is the most stable of all pure carbon compounds. In diamond each carbon is tetrahedral bonded to four carbon molecules with single bonds.

Resonance--electrons are a field. Heisenberg says their position can't really be described, so the single/double bonds in the URL constructions aren't really stationary (just like aromatics).

Bucky used the structural (geometric) advantages with the geodesic domes. Nature discovered the geometric resonance advantages much earlier.

Rap