Book 26, Question 54 · Video
How does a ballpoint pen work?
At the tip of a ballpoint pen is a tiny metal ball in a socket. As you write, the ball rolls and picks up thick ink from inside, laying it on the paper. In the 1930s, Hungarian journalist László Bíró noticed that newspaper ink dried fast and thought it would work better than runny fountain-pen ink if a ball could carry it.
Read the full answer →Watch on YouTubeSee the series on Amazon
What Crafty Clover says in this video
Intro
Hi there, curious minds! I'm Crafty Clover! Let's discover something amazing. How does a ballpoint pen work?
The Big Idea
Click! A ballpoint pen is ready to write. It has a tiny secret at its tip. A rolling ball!
Tiny Ball
Step one: Tiny Ball. At the tip of a ballpoint pen is a tiny metal ball in a socket. It can spin in every direction.
Thick Ink
Step two: Thick Ink. As you write, the ball rolls and picks up thick ink from inside. It lays the ink on the paper.
Biro's Idea
Step three: Biro's Idea. In the 1930s, Hungarian journalist Laszlo Biro noticed that newspaper ink dried fast. He thought it would work better than runny fountain-pen ink if a ball could carry it.
A Closer Look
Let's take a closer look! The ball rolls. The socket holds it. The tube holds ink. The barrel holds it all.
Quick Facts
Quick facts! Ballpoint pens are sometimes called biros after their inventor. Newspapers gave the idea. No more smudges. The ball is tiny.
Think Like a Scientist
Now, think like a scientist! Look at a pen tip with a magnifying glass. Can you see the tiny ball? Roll the pen on paper. Watch the ink line appear. Draw what you see.
Outro
A ballpoint pen works with a tiny metal ball that rolls and lays thick ink on paper. Laszlo Biro got the idea from fast-drying newspaper ink in the 1930s. Science is amazing! The world is full of surprises. Keep asking big questions, and keep exploring with me! Crafty Clover can be found on Amazon Books, Google Bookstore, and Apple Books. Available for purchase or download! Bye for now!