EVEN in this day and age, pencils still remain the go-to writing implement for primary schools pupils. Artists still love to do sketches with pencils as they see it as a very versatile drawing media capable of dark shadows and light strokes. Pencil lead however, might cause some to worry as lead is a well known poison that can cause developmental problems in kids and irreversible damage to organs such as your kidneys and even your brain.
But is it true that the lead in pencils is the same as metal lead that can poison you?
Verdict:
2326392
FALSE
While the term pencil lead is commonly used to refer to the writing core of pencils, modern pencils thankfully do not contain actual lead given its adverse health and environmental effects.
This misconception of lead in pencils dates back to when graphite was first discovered in England during the 16th century when chemistry was still in its infancy.
At the time, due to its resemblance to shiny lead ore, it was thought to be a form of lead, resulting in the substance being initially called "plumbago" (from the Latin word for lead ore, "plumbum").
There was a time when lead was used in writing instruments – the ancient Romans used a stylus made of lead to write on wax tablets, but this was long before the modern pencil.
As such, the term "pencil lead" is a misnomer, as the core of a modern pencil is actually made from a mixture of graphite and clay.
During manufacturing, a mixture with more graphite results in a softer pencil which produces a darker line, while more clay results in a harder pencil producing a lighter line.
As for coloured pencil leads, their cores consist of pigments (for colour), binders (to hold the pigment together), and fillers (to give the pencil its form and texture).
References:
1. https://academic-accelerator.com/encyclopedia/pencil
2. https://www.pensunlimited.co.uk/blog/industry-news/pencils-a-little-tale
3. https://pencils.com/pages/the-unleaded-pencil
4. https://pencils.com/pages/the-history-of-the-pencil
