I thought it was cos there was a big magnet at the north pole,and thats how the pointer points north. But when i thought about it that's stupid. so what makes the magnetic force that the pointer picks up.
2007-03-26 23:12:35 · 9 answers · asked by heebygeeby 4 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
The earth itself is like a big magnet with a north and south pole.
The compas needle lines up with that north on the needle and south on the needle point at north and south poles of earth's magnetic field.
2007-03-26 23:16:06 · answer #1 · answered by U-98 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There is a big magnet at the north pole. You're standing on it. The Earth generates a huge magnetic field which is strongest at the north and south poles of the planet. This magnetic field is what attracts your compass needle.
As an interesting aside, the Earth's magnetic field is also responsible for the Aurora Borealis, or The Northern Lights.
2007-03-26 23:18:29 · answer #2 · answered by koncur 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A compass is an extremely simple device. A magnetic compass (as opposed to a gyroscopic compass) consists of a small, lightweight magnet balanced on a nearly frictionless pivot point. The magnet is generally called a needle. One end of the needle is often marked "N," for north, or colored in some way to indicate that it points toward north. On the surface, that's all there is to a compass.
The reason why a compass works is more interesting. It turns out that you can think of the Earth as having a gigantic bar magnet buried inside. In order for the north end of the compass to point toward the North Pole, you have to assume that the buried bar magnet has its south end at the North Pole, as shown in the diagram at the right. If you think of the world this way, then you can see that the normal "opposites attract" rule of magnets would cause the north end of the compass needle to point toward the south end of the buried bar magnet. So the compass points toward the North Pole.
2007-03-26 23:16:17 · answer #3 · answered by ♥Natalie♥ 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I believe you were right the first time, but there is not actually a big magnet standing at the north pole, there is a magnetic force pulling from the north pole which attracts the compass pointer.
2007-03-26 23:19:18 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
The molten iron core of the earth is what creates the magnetic field around it. It isn't exactly at the geographic north and south poles that you find the magnetic north and south poles, and in fact throughout geological history they have wandered about the globe and even switched sides! But it just so happens that at this time the magnetic poles are quite close to the geographic poles, so that a compass very closely approximates north and south.
2007-03-26 23:17:31 · answer #5 · answered by charmedchiclet 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
well, what you thought is partially truly. only difference is that its not just the north pole, the whole planet earth is one giant magnet. and north and south poles are just the two ends of the giant magnet. that's why a compass always points north.
one more thing, i think i read somewhere that the magnetic north pole is not exactly at the same position as the geographic north pole that you see on a globe. but that's probably not relevant to your question :-)
2007-03-26 23:19:34 · answer #6 · answered by kazi_saif 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The needle of the compass has a magnetic (South pole) tip.
The magnetic North pole of the earth attracts this tip and it always swings to point at the magnetic North Pole.
2007-03-26 23:44:35 · answer #7 · answered by Norrie 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Our planet has a huge iron core, which creates a magnetic field, called the magnetisphere. The magnetic field pulls the compass needle toward the north.
2007-03-26 23:19:37 · answer #8 · answered by a_kings_fanatic 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The compass' magnet is aligned with the earths magnetic field.
2007-03-26 23:22:06 · answer #9 · answered by eks_spurt 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋