what if we got it wrong , the south pole could be North pole ,and the north pole couldbe the south?

Question

do austrialians think they are down under! which way is up in space. and when u r watchin star trek and another ship apeers it is facing up .. what i am tryin to say there is no up or down in space ..left is right and right is left

Answer 1

Its true that North and South were arbitratily named and though several times in the Earth's history the poles have reversed I dont think thats getting up. North is North because we decided it should be. If all the scientists who discovered magnetism and explorers who used compasses came from somewhere 'down under' then no doubt they'd of named the North Pole the South Pole. You may be interested to know that in Australia and New Zealand you can buy globes that have Antarctica at the top and they're no less correct than the standard version. It might be argued that they're more correct.

Many people believe we have summer and winter because the Earth is closest to the sun in summer. That's not true. If it was Australia would experience the same seasons. It doesnt and it doesnt because the seasons are caused by the tilt of the Earth, the Earth is furthest away from the Sun in July. Its just that the people of the western hemisphere have some need to think they're geographic ideas are more common sense but they're totally arbitrary and any Australian could argue that its us who are in fact 'down under'.

As far as star trek goes, I've considered that one myself. I'm sure there was one episode where a spacecraft came up underneath but yeah they could meet a spaceship upside down (I'm sure he view screen would still work the right way up when they chatted to them) but because each ship had 'artificial gravity' each looking out the windows could claim that the other ship was 'upside down' which of course has no real meaning.

Answer 2

Guess what. There is scientific evidence to support the theory that the poles have switched their polarity several times during the course of the earth's existance, so the South pole was the North pole was the South pole etc.
Actually, there is direction in space because there is a gravitational force between all intergalactic bodies. It may be very slight, but it is there, and does give a basis for direction.

PS: Vile Maverick - the compass only points to the magnetic north pole, which is several degrees away from the true north, and which travels in a parabola around the true north pole.

Answer 3

What abt the core dude? anyway the rules would be different if there was a hole, even gravitational laws as it is based on shell theorum and the hole would need the formation of a new formula or theorum for graviatation on earth, also the heat at the centre would not exist (would it?) i don't know, if it would then we would die near the center due to temp increase and also would there be any atmosphere there? i don't think so cuz that would also change much conditions on earth. and most importantly, if there were holes in north and south pole, then the magnetic field which saves the earth from radiation from the sun would not be complete and thus we would cease to exist. so i don't know

Answer 4

I believe the earth's magnetic field lines exit near the south pole and enter near the north pole, which means the north magnetic pole is actually a magnetic south pole, as bar magnets go. So a suspended bar magnet would orient so the N pole points north.

Why must everything be so convoluted. If I ever get my hands on the guy who decided to make the direction of current the direction a POSITIVE charge flows...

Answer 5

North ans south were chosen arbtrarily, something had to be at the top and north was chosen. Probably because the people who made the first maps were in the north. Either could have been chosen

periodically the magnetic poles flip so one day compasses will point in the opposite direction.

Answer 6

Actually, magnetically, the poles have switched several times in earth's history. So magnetic north has been on the geographical south hemisphere!

From outside the earth, the axis has a lot to do with the orientation. If you look at our eight planets, they revolvce around the sun in the same direction and generally on the same plane. Our Galaxy is also spining on the same plane, in the same direction. So, using that as a guide, Star Fleet has made it the norm which way "up" is in our galaxy. As for the Romulans & Klingons, I guess they follow the same convention.

Answer 7

the only reason the north pole is north and the south pole is south is because they are simply labels given to the polarity of the earth's magnetic field. There is stron evidence to uggest that the polarity of the earth actually reverses (noth becoming south and visa versa)1 to 5 times every million years or so.
The Second part of the question is all about relativity. In the universe there is no real up down left right only. It depends upon your frame of referance, and one frame of referance is just as good as another so it doesn't matter.

Answer 8

The names are arbitrary. The convention exists because the compass was invented and first applied in the northern hemisphere, so the definition of "north" was with reference to the known astronomy and geography. That end of the magnetized needle that pointed in the direction of Polaris was defined as "north".

The phenomenon of the compass is completely dependent upon the earth's magnetic field, which can certainly be measured from space.

Answer 9

Just to confuse thing at bit more....what taking magnets; we all know like poles repel and unlike poles attract. But if this is indeed the case then it is the Southern end of the compass that point North..so is North really South?

Answer 10

As Albert Einstien says 'its all relative'.

It is just a convention that puts the north pole at the top of the world.