Pen vs. Pencil
What are pens and pencils? A pen is a barrel filled with ink that flows out of the tip and makes marks on the paper. Pens come in many different varieties. Examples of pens include the fountain pen, the quill pen, the refillable pen, erasable pens, ballpoint pens, etc. The pencil is a stick of wood, cut into a hexagon, with lead (actually made out of graphite) in the center. Another type of pencil is a mechanical pencil. Mechanical pencils have a metal or plastic case. Mechanical pencils use leads similar to those used in wood pencils, and they do not need sharpening. Ever wondered what the numbers on pencils meant? For example, number 2, number 4? The numbers on pencils depend on how hard or soft the lead is. “Pencils with numbers less than 2 have softer leads and contain less clay and more graphite. Soft pencils make a dark, heavy line. Harder pencils make a finer, lighter line (Pen History).”
A pencil is the most widely used writing and drawing instrument in the world. People use pencils to write words, numbers, music, and poetry, and to draw pictures, plans, maps, and diagrams. “There are pencils that write underwater, and pencils used by physicians to mark their patients’ skin before surgery. Astronauts have also taken pencils into space because the writing ability of pencils is unaffected by gravity, pressure, or conditions in the atmosphere. More than 10 billion pencils are produced annually throughout the world. The United States manufactures almost two billion pencils yearly – more than any other country (Pen History).” Here are some amazing facts about pencils: “Laid end-to-end, the number of pencils made annually in the U.S. would encircle Earth about 15 times. In 1858, erasers were attached to the ends of pencils for the first time; most pencils in the U.S. have erasers, but those in Europe do not. A pencil lead or a line drawn by a pencil will conduct electricity. Colored pencils are made from chalk, clay, or wax mixed with binders...