Carbon fibers

Hey kiddo! Have you ever seen those black, shiny materials that look like really thin strands of hair? That's what we call carbon fibers!

Now, you know how pencils are made of graphite, which is a type of carbon? Carbon fibers are kinda like those pencil "leads" but much, much thinner and much, much stronger!

Scientists and engineers make carbon fibers by taking really thin strands of carbon and heating them up until they become super strong and hard. These fibers are so strong that they're used in a lot of things that need to be tough and lightweight, like planes, cars, and even some sports equipment like tennis rackets!

Actually, did you know that carbon fibers are even stronger than steel but weigh much less? That's why they're used for spaceships too! These fibers are out of this world!

So that's carbon fibers in a nutshell, kiddo! Super strong, super lightweight strands of carbon that can be used in so many amazing ways!