Is graphite in pencil radioactive?

Is graphite in pencil radioactive?

Graphite is just an amorphous form of carbon, and it’s quite harmless. Actually, the graphite in a pencil “lead” is going to be far more contaminated that any graphite used in nuclear power plants. Nuclear grade graphite is incredibly high purity carbon, and very expensive to produce.

What graphite is used in pencils?

Instead, the pencil material is actually graphite. Plumbago pencil lead, to be exact. To get all geologist on you, plumbago is a naturally-occurring crystalline form of carbon arranged in a hexagonal structure. Fun fact: if graphite is under high enough pressures and temperatures, it turns into a diamond.

Why graphite is used as a lead in pencil?

The different layers of carbon atoms present in graphite are bounded by weak van der Waals forces. The cleaning between the layers is done by graphite, thus, it is so slippery and soft. This is the reason why graphite is used in pencil and as lubricants in machines which operate at high temperature.

How does graphite become radioactive?

Research is in progress to find a method for managing graphite waste from the dismantling of old facilities. These nuclear power plants, which used natural uranium, deployed a graphite moderator to slow down the neutrons. This graphite moderator would become radioactive from the effect of the neutron irradiation.

Is graphite the same as pencil?

Graphite is the dark gray material usually found encased within a wooden pencil. It comes in many different forms, but most commonly we find it within a pencil. We’ve all used them to write and draw and most of us feel very comfortable with a graphite pencil in hand.

Do pencils use lead graphite?

The core of a pencil does not contain lead and never has. Pencils contain a form of solid carbon known as graphite. According to the book The Pencil by Henry Petroski, the graphite pencil was first developed and popularized in the 1600’s.