Is it black magic (as I suspect it is) or is there something scientific going on?
2006-11-20 01:43:33 · 4 answers · asked by AaronO 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Other - Science
A pencil is made of graphite.
Pencil erasers are made of material that is stickier to graphite than paper is.
Before latex erasers were introduced by an English engineer called Edward Naime, people used dried breadcrumbs instead. Far less convenient though.
The eraser does not need to crumble to wkr - but its hand if it is as this makes the soiled part of it easy to get rid of.
2006-11-20 02:21:10 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
That's a very good question, since as graphite is so slippery, you wouldn't expect it to stick to anything else, would you ?
It's not black magic, it's white magic - most pencil erasers are white. :-) It looks like the eraser tears and forms tiny little rolls of eraser as you rub it over the graphite and the graphite literally gets rolled up off the paper. The harder you press the bigger the rolling effect and the quicker the graphite comes up. If you just rub the eraser very lightly over the graphite it has little no effect !
2006-11-20 12:18:04 · answer #2 · answered by Timbo 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's magic Jim but not as we Know it.
A pencil has a graphite centre, when rubbed on paper it leaves a mark. An eraser is made from a type of Rubber and you rub it(hence it is some times called a 'rubber' and has lead to the term 'to rub out')
When you RUB the eraser on the graphite coated paper a little piece of the eraser comes away picking up the graphite as it goes and removing it from the paper. Sacra Bleu it has gone just like magic
2006-11-20 09:51:17 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
lol wat a random Question...
⥠it!!!
think its the friction isnt it... hummm :oS
2006-11-20 09:46:30 · answer #4 · answered by •♥•mj•♥• 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋