Question

The tip of the lead pencil is made of
A. lead
B. graphite
C. zinc
D. charcoal

Answer 1

Hint: The tip of the lead pencil should be made of a material which is slippery so that it becomes easier to write. The element is not what the name of the pencil suggests. It is just a misconception which led to the name of the pencil.


Complete step by step solution:
-The pencil tip of a lead pencil does not contain lead in it. Not only today, lead was never a part of the pencil tip even in earlier times. Chemistry was not developed earlier and so it was thought that the material forming the pencil tip is a form of lead and this is why it was named lead pencil.
-Graphite is used as a tip of the pencil and was earlier thought to be a form of lead. The evolution in pencils began in the late 1500s. Later on, graphite rods were made and were put inside wooden structures and were glued together. This was the formation process of early pencils.
-Powdered graphite when mixed with clay alters the hardness of lead on heating and this formed the basis of new kinds of pencils in around 1790. This technology is applied even today. The only difference is that now a good and better method is used to do it and fine machines are used instead of hands.
-Lead was used as a material to make stylus by the ancient Romans which was a form of writing device. It was soft and so was easily breakable but also could be erased easily. Dark marks were left which made it visible. Graphite was used first in the 1500s when it was found as a deposit in England.
When more graphite is added to clay, lead becomes harder. So, graphite pencils are used to write. It is both hard and blackish in colour. Its hardness is useful as it does not make the pencil break while writing and its colour is helpful as black colour makes it easily readable on white paper pulp.
-Graphite is not very hard nor very soft. So it is used for making pencil tips. Also, its streak nature was useful and gained popularity with the pencils. It is also flexible yet not elastic which makes it best for pencil tips and is used even now.

So the correct option is B. graphite


Note: The graphite crystals occur in the form of hexagonal structures. It means that they are six-sided and are also rough. When graphite tip breaks, it breaks into minute and flexible flakes. These flakes easily slide over one another and provide smoothness while writing.