Ask A Scientist Chemistry Archive

Question:
A third grade girl would like to know how they get the
lead of a pencil and color it and put it in the wooden
part?
joan of arc

Answer:
Pencil "lead" is actually graphite (elemental carbon) with probably some
other things in it.  Graphite is usually flakes and it's pressed into
the tubes you see in pencils.  It is then laid into half the wooden part
and the other wooden half is essentially glued onto it.  Colored pencils
are, I believe, like a very hard wax or chalk-like material or combination
of both.  They are probably formed the same way by putting the material
into a mold so it comes out in the tube shape and then put into the
wood.  Hope that's not too vague.
-Joe Schultz