Is the part labelled as north on a compass actually a south pole magnet?

Question

Is the part labeled as north on a compass actually a south pole magnet? Is it true that the magnetic north is not the true north?

Answer 1

The North pole was originally called the North Seeking pole, meaning the north end of a magnet was attracted to it.

So the north pole is actually magnetic south.

Answer 2

Yes and Yes. The earth NORTH pole can oly attract a South pole of a magnet. So the compass needle is a S. magnetic field.

The Geographic North of the earth is the piont where the earth spins - the Axis. The magnets field within the earth is a nomad wandering around slowly. The difference between where the compass points and the geographic north is called VARIATION. In the USA it rund roughlt but not absolutely, solong the path of the Mississippi River. It you are in Los Angeles the different is about 15 degrees to the east of geographis north.
In order to use a compass to get somewhere you really need to know the Variation so you can correct the compass reading - AND - the compass cannot be near any other Ferrous metal or you will make another error called DEVIATION. This is a common error found on all compasses located on ships and boats. They have the compass "Swung" and can generate a table indicating the amount of Deviation. The nautical sharts show the amound of deviation in any given area. With these two you can get from point a to B without gettin lost or going aground.

On land - the variation is not shown on common maps. Variation does not flow in straight lines but wavy ones depending on the metalic content of the earth in any specific location. Charts showing the lines of variation are call ISOGONIC charts.
OK - that is introduction to Navigation 101

Answer 3

Yes! The Geographical North (the North Pole as we know it commonly) is actually the South Pole of the "Global Magnet" made by the Earth.

It is only because of this single reason that the (north pole of the) needle of the compass points towards that direction (hence the common man's name for that direction).

If this was not the case, then how come this north pole of the compass points towards that direction, it should have been doing the opposite.

Answer 4

The N mark of a compass refers to a North-seeking pole.

Geographical north and south poles are fixed but magnetic poles are moving and there is a pole reversal once in about 27000 years (check the figure).

Answer 5

The whole Earth is a gigantic electromagnet powered by the spinning molten iron core.