Pencil Debris
This is from an environmental tapelift collected in a school classroom. The large group of black and tan particles in the center of this image are from pencil lead. It exhibits the highlights typical of these types of particles when illuminated by darkfield reflected light illumination.
Transmitted Off Circular Polarized Light and Reflected Darkfield Illumination
with reflected light.
Definition/Function:
Pencil debris includes the carbon fragments from the "lead" of the pencil, wood sawdust, and paint from the surface of the pencil. The carbon fragments are actually a blend of clay and graphite.Significance in the Environment:
Characteristic Features:
Graphite is relatively reflective and so the particles from the pencil lead are speckled when viewedwith reflected light.
