2007-03-04 20:32:02 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
If it's a conventional terrestrial compass, it will work just the same as in the northern hemisphere: the north-seeking end of the needle will point to the north magnetic pole (which is in northern Canada). Aircraft compasses, however, are different: they contain a small weight to balance out the vertical component of the magnetic field. (This weight gives the compass some annoying properties when the airplane is turning.) In the southern hemisphere, the weight turns out to be in the wrong place, so the compass does not work as well.
2007-03-04 20:39:14 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
For a compass to work properly, the compass needle must be free to rotate and align with the magnetic field. The difference between compasses designed to work in the northern and southern hemispheres is simply the location of the "balance", a weight placed on the needle to ensure it remains in a horizontal plane and hence free to rotate. In the northern hemisphere, the magnetic field dips down into the Earth so the compass needle has a weight on the south end of the needle to keep the needle in the horizontal plane. In the southern hemisphere, the weight needs to be on the north end of the needle. If you did not change the weight, the needle would not rotate freely, and hence would not work properly
2007-03-05 05:57:48 · answer #2 · answered by faisal z 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Most good quality compass needles are weight compensated for magnetic dip for either the northern or southern hemisphere.
It will certainly point in the right direction, but the dip compensation will be completely wrong, so the needle will tend to bind or stick on its bearing, rather than be free moving.
2007-03-05 05:01:40 · answer #3 · answered by lunchtime_browser 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Hello,
(ANS) Makes no difference as your compass should always align itself to the earths magnetic north (i.e. magnetic north pole which is different from the geographic north pole).
IR
2007-03-05 04:44:12 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
It will be stolen by all those backward people down there and they will be able to find their way back up here and infect all of us with there backward ways.
Honestly though. Nothing it will work exactly the same way.
2007-03-05 04:41:02 · answer #5 · answered by Tom S 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Should be the same
2007-03-05 04:39:17 · answer #6 · answered by verbalise 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋