Pen
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The pen (from Old High German steft "spike, thorn"; "stiff"; "something small, smallish") is a writing and drawing instrument.
Pens were probably among the first tools used by man. The oldest evidence dates back to the Stone Age, when simple wooden sticks were used to make carvings in clay, which are often found together with cave paintings. (see also Stilus)
With the advent of the early advanced civilizations, the writing stick was replaced by the writing tube (calamus). In the course of time, this was replaced by brushes and pens, which were considered more elegant and could also be used on paper, while the pens of the time were only used as scribing tools. In late antiquity, only a few runic and cuneiform writers and sculptors still used pens.
In the Middle Ages, people used pencils made of lead, silver or tin, but they drew only a very thin and pale line. Finally, in the late Middle Ages began to produce modern pencils in the form of a piece of wood with edged lead (the leads).
From the 16th century onwards, lead was replaced by graphite, which produced a stronger stroke and was also easier to use on paper, as it was not necessary to press down as hard as before.
Later, other leads were used (glued pigments for coloured pencils) and ink-bearing constructions were developed.
Some types of pens:
- Fountain pen
- Ballpoint pen
- Gel roller
- Pencil
- Coloured pencil
- Red chalk
- Charcoal pencil
- Wax crayon, also grease pencil
- Felt-tip pen
- Marker
- Copy pen
- Mechanical pin
- Foil pen
In addition to their traditional function as writing instruments, pens are also used in penspinning to train dexterity.
different types of pens
See also
Commons: Pens - Collection of images, videos and audio files
- glue stick, lipstick - devices for the application of substances that are modelled on the pencil
- Stylus - Input device for computer
Norm data (subject term): GND: 4348436-0
Questions and Answers
Q: What is a pen?
A: A pen is a tool used for writing or drawing, which uses ink pressed onto paper.
Q: What is the oldest known type of pen?
A: The oldest known type of pen is the reed pen, which was invented by the ancient Egyptians.
Q: How are quill pens made?
A: Quill pens are made from feathers, usually from geese. The end of the feather (the quill) must be kept sharp and dipped into ink after every few words.
Q: What are dip pens?
A: Dip pens are any type of pen that must be dipped in ink many times during writing or drawing. This includes reed and quill pens as well as modern dip pens with metal nibs.
Q: How does a fountain pen work?
A: Fountain pens have enough ink inside to write several pages before needing to be refilled, and use a sac or cartridge to hold the ink inside.
Q: What is a ballpoint pen?
A: A ballpoint pen is generally cylindrical plastic shaft that holds ink and has a small hard ball on the writing end that rolls the ink onto the paper. It is smaller than a fountain pen.
Q: What is a stylus used for?
A: A stylus can't write on paper but can write on clay or wax, and has been used for thousands of years in cuneiform writing. Modern computer styluses are usually made of plastic with electronics inside, and are used with touchscreens.
