2007-02-06 16:11:14 · 12 answers · asked by james b 3 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Earth Sciences & Geology
At the North Pole, the compass needle would be pointing towards the North Magnetic Pole, which at present is somewhere in the far north of Canada, but relative to where you were standing, that would be South, because from the geographic North Pole, every direction is South.
At the magnetic North Pole, the compass needle would be trying to point straight downwards. If you forced it to stay horizontal, every direction would be equally likely.
2007-02-07 09:07:07 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
I presume that you are asking about compass'. If at the North Magnetic pole a magnetic compass will be useless as the magnetic influence will be vertical, however a gyro compass will still point to the geographic North pole, the reverse is true at the geographic North pole where the Magnetic compass will point to the magnetic pole and the gyro will just spin.
2007-02-07 02:00:15 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
If you're standing on the north pole, the compass would point to magnetic north, at approximately 79.66° N / 71.78° W. If you're standing on the magnetic north pole, the compass would point straight up (if you held it vertically).
2007-02-07 00:17:49 · answer #3 · answered by violentquaker 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
You have to realize that there is a magnetic north and a geographic north. So depends where on the geographic north pole you are standing the compass would do funky things. if you are standing right over magnetic north, i think it would spin, but i'm not positive. Should go and find out?
2007-02-07 00:23:21 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 2⤋
puffy owl is correct the needle would spin free as it would have no where to point , the strong magnetic field cancels out magnetism ,same is true of south , hope you mean the magnetic north pole ?
2007-02-09 14:10:38 · answer #5 · answered by murray 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
depends which way you hold it. Everywhere from the North Pole is South but the compass would still point to the North.
2007-02-07 00:19:26 · answer #6 · answered by Icarus 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Learn to spell before getting to the technical stuff
2007-02-10 07:14:11 · answer #7 · answered by BadWolph 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you were standing on magnetic north it would go in circles
2007-02-07 00:18:46 · answer #8 · answered by puffy_owl@sbcglobal.net 2 · 2⤊ 2⤋
The needle would jump through the glass plate of the compass and explode.
2007-02-07 00:21:49 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 3⤋
Who cares? You'd be at Santa Claus's house.
2007-02-07 02:10:20 · answer #10 · answered by Wattsup! 3 · 2⤊ 2⤋