How Does a ‘Pencil’ Write Without Drying Up Immediately?

A pencil writes smoothly because it doesn’t dry up like a marker does. Inside the pencil is graphite, which feels like powder. When you write, only a tiny bit of graphite rubs off onto the paper, not all of it at once! That’s why your pencil keeps working even after hours of writing.

Think of a pencil as having layers of powder inside. Every time you draw or write, just a little bit of that powder comes out, like when you shake a bag of sugar and only a few grains fall out at once. That’s why it takes so long for the pencil to run out.