Pencil

A pencil is a writing and drawing tool made mainly of a thin graphite core surrounded by wood or another protective material. Despite the common name “lead pencil”, its core contains no lead, the metal. It is usually a mixture of graphite, a form of carbon, and clay, with the proportions adjusted to change its hardness.

More clay generally makes the core harder and the mark lighter, while more graphite produces a softer, darker mark. The outer casing protects the core and makes the pencil easier to hold. Some pencils are made without wood and use a synthetic casing instead. When a pencil moves across paper, tiny particles from the graphite-based core are left on the surface.

Pressure and friction help detach these particles, while the paper’s texture holds them in place. Sharpening exposes a fresh section of the core, allowing the pencil to make a finer line. The hardness of pencils is commonly indicated by labels such as H, HB and B: H grades are harder, B grades are softer and darker, and HB is roughly in the middle.

A pencil mark can usually be removed because graphite particles sit mainly on the paper’s surface rather than becoming part of the paper itself. This simple combination of a solid core, a protective casing and controlled friction makes the pencil useful for writing, sketching and technical drawing.