graphite

     

The mineral graphite, as with iamond and fullerene, is one of the allotropes of carbon. It was named by Abraham Gottlob Werner in 1789 from the Greek γραφειν (graphein): "to draw/write", for its use in pencils, where it is commonly called lead, as distinguished from the actual metallic element lead. Unlike diamond, graphite is an electrical conductor, and can be used, for instance, in the electrodes of an arc lamp. Graphite holds the distinction of being the most stable form of carbon under standard conditions. Therefore, it is used in thermochemistry as the standard state for defining the heat of formation of carbon compounds. Graphite may be considered the highest grade of coal, just above anthracite and alternatively called meta-anthracite, although it is not normally used as fuel because it is hard to ignite.

Trivia about graphite

  • Mines near Ticonderoga, New York were once the USA's principal source for this 8-letter mineral
  • This protective material used to surround the fuel rod tubes at Chernobyl is also found in your pencil
  • This mineral is the most stable form of carbon, though not when you sharpen your pencil too fine
  • Allotrope of carbon that's used as a solid lubricant
  • This pencil component is a form of soft carbon; you won't get lead poisoning from chewing on it
  • Mexico & Madagascar are a couple of our sources for this mineral found in pencils & brake linings
  • There's no lead in a typical No. 2 pencil, just this mineral also known as plumbago
  • This form of carbon used in fishing rods is a good conductor--so cast with care around power lines
  • The name of this soft black mineral is from the Greek for "to write"
  • Its old name, plumbago, came from its use in lead pencils
  • (Kelly of the Clue Crew writes with a rock.) It's not surprising that the name of this mineral comes from the Greek for "to write"
  • The "lead" used in pencils is actually this form of carbon once thought to be a type of lead
  • AKA black lead, this form of carbon has a greasy feel & is used in making lubricants
  • Not by miracles doth an eraser work, but by friction that removes this from paper
  • The name of this gray-to-black mineral comes from the Greek for "to write"
  • To save money on a ring, I'll go mine this form of carbon seen here and make a synthetic diamond
  • German geologist Abraham Werner gave this mineral its name, derived from a Greek word for "to write"

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