Why does the Earth have a magnetic field?

Question

Please can you explain this in a simple way because the other questions like this are too confusing for my ickle brain xDD

Answer 1

Wow please do not listen to Duke, he is TOTALLY wrong. sorry, i just couldnt let Duke's idiocy warp your mind. The basic theory of how an electromagnetic field works is this. A particle with a charge, an electron shall we say, will create a electric field, just because it has a charge. Now when an electric field moves it creates a magnetic field, just because it moves! what results is an electromagnetic field. Now the principle is similar for the Earth. The earths core is a big spinning ball of molten iron and nickel (so we think), which, as the 1st poster mentioned, acts as a dynamo that creates an electromagnetic field around the earth. remember something charged and in motion creates a field. The video below shows how the field behaves, as well as protects us from various types of radiation...

Answer 2

The answer isn't etched in stone, but most geophysicists believe that Earth's magnetic field is generated by our planet's molten core. That core is thought to be in constant motion, with eddies and currents moving throughout. Basically, this feature of the core acts like an immense dynamo that produces the magnetic field.

Answer 3

Inside Earth is very hot, out above sky is very cold.... therefore when heat and cold collided that you will see Lightening... thunders.
Electricity created by static between hot and cold... every where that have electricity that will create the magnetic field cause both North and South Earth Poles are cold... equator is hot... magnetic divide to North and South...etc...

Answer 4

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth's_magnetic_field