..were to suddenly become opposite to their present polarity....
would they pull the planet in two ?
2006-09-28 07:58:49 · 15 answers · asked by chris s 3 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Earth Sciences & Geology
what i mean is the north pole stays where it is but becomes a south polerised magnetic force, n the south pole becomes a north polerised magnetic force, not flip as has happened in the past derrrr
2006-09-28 08:14:53 · update #1
I would now be living in south Australia instead of north London!
2006-09-28 08:06:10 · answer #1 · answered by Polo 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋
By one reference, the magnetic poles switch their polarities about once every 400,000 years anyway, so this has happened thousands of times in the Earth's lifetime. Also, the exact positions of the magnetic poles, rather than being constant, wander around a bit. Currently, the magnetic pole near the north pole is in the ocean north of Canada and has been moving generally northward.
As for what would happen: I suppose it would mess up some types of navigational equipment. Also, it would be interesting to see how birds are affected, since they use the magnetic fields to migrate - but I am betting they would adjust quickly and have no problem with the polarity switch.
2006-09-28 15:23:30 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Magnetism is relatively weak and couldn't really harm the earth. The polarity shift happens every few hundred thousand years or so. It starts by having the poles moving off center as they are now. The polarity disappears for a while and then reverses. This doesn't happen instantly or even over night, it takes maybe a thousand years to complete. During the time period when we don't have a magnetosphere, we will be bombarded by cosmic rays to a far greater degree but I don't think it will be an unsurmountable problem.
2006-09-28 16:02:07 · answer #3 · answered by JimZ 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No. This has already happened (8 times, I think). The proof is to be found in solidified lava adjacent to the mid ocean trench in the Atlantic. Apparently when lava solidifies it aligns magnetically with the global magnetic field at the time, so is plain to see. I understand the last switch was 68,000 years ago and we may shortly ( in geological terms - not like next week or so) be due another
2006-09-28 19:38:18 · answer #4 · answered by PAUL H 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No, and as a matter of fact, the poles will change! In geologic terms it's quite frequent, of course in our prespective it almost never happens and never has happened before in the history of human life, it will happen. Got dish or cable? Nasa TV just recently aired a whole show dovoted to explaining it. It will happen and we will be temporarily left without a magnetic field! Well, I think I'll go for a while, I'm leaving! thnx for the question!
2006-09-28 15:05:30 · answer #5 · answered by notallchipsarefood 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
No, it has happned many times in the past. geologists can tell this from the polarity of rocks which form from lava.
They think that the magnetic poles are due to 'flip' sometime very soon (soon in geologoical terms). this would cause problems in all sorts of areas, but it would not be apocalyptic
2006-09-28 15:04:12 · answer #6 · answered by Vinni and beer 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
There would be no physical change, but lots of communication and navigation systems would be affected. Also, depending on how long the switch took, if the field is reduced harmful radiation will not be blocked and lots of damage could come from that.
2006-09-28 15:05:41 · answer #7 · answered by QFL 24-7 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
it's already happened a predicted seven times, and should be happening again in the near future. (probably ten or twenty years). it ends up killing a lot of the things on the earth, but not any real serious problems. i hope. the aztecs were amazing at predicting things long before they actually happen, and their calendar suddenly and mysteriously ends on december 23, 2009, but i don't think there's anything to worry about.
2006-09-28 15:32:39 · answer #8 · answered by Jaycie 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Firstly its due to happen soon, it happens every million years or so.
And no it wont pull the planet apart as its too weak, which is a good job as I have keys in my pocket and need to move around.
2006-09-28 15:03:18 · answer #9 · answered by John S 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Some say this is what's causing the ice caps to melt.
It's happened before, so don't worry.
2006-09-28 15:07:01 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋