Question

Lead pencil is made up of lead metal.
A) True
B) False

Answer 1

Hint: We know that pencil is used for drawing and writing purposes. The pencil consists of a solid core inside a protective casing. The casing prevents the core from being broken down.

Complete answer :
We know that pencil is used for drawing and writing purposes. The pencil consists of a solid core inside a protective casing. The casing prevents the core from being broken down. The core is made up of an allotrope of carbon.

We know that carbon has three allotropes: diamond, graphite and fullerene. The core of the lead pencil is made up of a mixture of graphite powder and clay. The lead pencil is actually a graphite pencil.
The graphite pencil leaves behind a black or grey marks when written with it. The black or grey marks can be erased easily using an eraser. The black or grey marks are resistant to chemicals, moisture and natural aging.

The core of lead pencil is made up of thin graphite which is enclosed in a shell of some other material which is made up of wood, plastic or recycled paper. So, lead pencil is made up of graphite powder which is an allotrope of carbon and not of lead metal. Thus, the statement ‘lead pencil is made up of lead metal’ is false.

Thus, the correct answer is option (B) false.

Note:In early years, lead pencil was made up of graphite powder only. But nowadays it is made up of a mixture of graphite powder and clay. The graphite pencils are used for drawing which give smooth strokes.