The Physics of Pushing a Pencil

Paper Summary:

In this article, the writer notes that many people write all day and never consider the physics behind the act of placing words on paper. However, there is a whole world of how and why these sticks of wood and lead leave various types of marks on a formerly clean white page. The writer discusses that the structure, force, friction and angle of each pencil constructs the reasons why it writes the way it does. The writer maintains that the main component of why the pencil leaves marks is the energy behind it and energy which comes directly from the writer using that pencil. People also have their ways of holding their pencils, changing the angles and creating different styles of friction between the pencil and the paper. This leads to the conclusion that the individual carries much more responsibility in the act of writing than one would think.

From the Paper:

"The pencil represents the concept of a stationary mass until it is picked up and used by the writer. A normal pencil varies in length and diameter, but is mainly constructed using wood casings to hold a lead core which leaves marks on the paper being written on. Most lengths begin at around six inches, but can vary based on where and why the pencil was made. This length also shortens as the writer continuously sharpens the pencil and eats away at the wood casing in order to extract a sharper piece of lead core to write with. The diameter of the pencil varies, the general bulk of the wood casing is much larger and wider than the fine pencil tip. Most pencil's diameters are measured in millimeters and average to around 0.05 mm to 0.07 mm. However, the standard yellow pencil is 0.05mm."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Benson, Tom. "JumpStart: Newton's Three Laws of Motion. NASA Glen Research Center. 2008. http://www.sciencemaster.com/jump/physical/newton_law.php
• Egler, Robert A. "Definition of Angles." The Physics Teacher. American Association of Physics Teachers. 1995. 33(5): p. 262.
• Zimmerman, Andrew Jones. "Introduction to Newton's Laws of Motion." About.com: Physics. 2008. Retrieved from http://physics.about.com/od/classicalmechanics/a/lawsofmotion.htm.

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