Ancient Writing Tools
T/F: Ancient Egyptians used reed pens to write on papyrus
True: The ancient Egyptians did use reed pens to write general information on papyrus scrolls
T/F: Graphite is used in modern-day pencils
True: Graphite is the most prominent common material used in Pencils today
Which came first, the pencil, or the reed pen?
The reed pen came thousands of years before the modern pencil
T/F: Before the modern eraser, people used breadcrumbs to erase pencil marks
True: Edward Nairne "accidentally" picked up a piece of rubber instead of bread one day and realized it worked significantly better
T/F: Mesopotamians wrote on metal tablets to keep track of crop yields
False: They wrote on Clay tablets, not metal ones
T/F: Paper was invented in ancient Egypt
False: The ancient Egyptians used papyrus, not paper as a surface for writing
Which came first, the mechanical pencil or the ballpoint pen?
The mechanical pencil was created in 1822, 66 years before the ballpoint pen
How many pencils are created per year? (In billions)
14 to 15 billion pencils are produced annually, requiring 60,000 to 80,000 trees
What animal feather was used for quills?
Goose: Their feathers provided superior durability and ink-holding capacity
Pick a choice: Parchment was made from (dried silt, animal skin, pulverized corn husks) during the middle ages
Animal Skin:
In what century was the typewriter created?
The typewriter was created and developed during the 19th century
How much paper is made per year (In tons)
400 million tons of paper are used per year, with just the United States, Japan, and China representing half of global consumption
Pick a choice: The (Romans/Ottomans/Japanese) used wax tablets for writing
Romans: They used wood frames filled with black or red beeswax, used for note-taking, school exercises, legal documents, and business
How many sheets of paper are produced per tree?
One tree produces between 10,000 and 20,000 sheets of paper
When was the first pencil brought to space?
The first pencil was brought to space by Yuri Gagarin in 1961 during the first ever manned space mission.
How long of a line could be drawn with a single #2 pencil? (In miles)
A single #2 pencil can draw a straight line up to 35 miles long, or 45 thousand words
What tool was used to carve writing into stone?
Chisel: The chisel was a tool with a sharp-edged metal blade used to carve into stone
What is the name of the button you click on a retractable ballpoint pen to extend the tip?
The knock, also called the plunger
In 1564, a massive deposit of this mineral was found in Borrowdale, England; it was so pure it was mistaken for lead, leading to the creation of the modern pencil, what was this mineral?
Graphite
What was the cost of the most expensive fountain pen ever sold?
the Aurora Diamante fountain pen costs over $1.4 million, as it is encrusted with over 2,000 diamonds