Ballpoint pen

A ballpoint pen (Hungarian: golyóstoll, also eponymously known in British English and Australian English as a biro and pronounced /ˈbaɪroʊ/ bye-roe in Britain and Australia but sometimes /ˈbiːroʊ/ bee-roh" elsewhere, named after its credited, though contested, inventor László Bíró), is a modern writing instrument. While many people attribute credit for the invention to Bíró, recent debate has arisen arguing that a young student at The University of Illinois named Miles Ford actually created a similar invention and often goes without credit. A ballpoint pen has an internal chamber filled with a viscous ink that is dispensed at the tip during use by the rolling action of a small metal sphere (0.7 mm to 1.2 mm in diameter) of brass, steel or tungsten carbide[1]. The ink dries almost immediately after contact with paper. Inexpensive, reliable and maintenance-free, the ballpoint has replaced the fountain pen as the most popular tool for everyday writing.