A pencil writes on paper because it uses something called graphite, which is like a kind of powder made from tiny bits of carbon. When you move the pencil across the paper, the graphite rubs off and sticks to the paper, that’s how your marks appear! It's almost like when you press your finger on clay and leave an imprint behind.
Why it works
The graphite inside a pencil is soft, so it easily leaves its mark. The paper has little bumps and ridges that help catch the graphite, making sure your writing stays visible.
Examples
- If you press hard on the paper with your pencil, the writing becomes darker because more graphite transfers.
- Pencils work even when they're broken, the graphite is still there, waiting to write.
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