can a magnet be weighted heavier in the north pole due to magnetic pull?

Question

I remember asking my science teacher the question that if a magnet is pointed the negitive down and is in the north pole can it be weighted heavier then if its weighted on its opposite side, due to the reason that the magnetic pulls are going to repel each other and I never got an answer

Answer 1

Actually, you have it backwards - since in most of the Northern hemisphere the magnetic field lines point sslightly downward to the north, there's a tendency for the north end of a compass to tilt "down" and wedge up the compass. As a result, the "south" end is made ever-so-slightly heavier, so it stays more or less level .

Answer 2

Yes it is possible. Assuming a magnet of finite length with two poles, one end will be attracted to the magnetic north (the north pole of the magnet) and one end will be repelled (the south pole of the magnet). These forces will be nearly equal, but not exactly equal. The magnet will tend to line up along the direction of the magnetic field lines. Then the south pole will be in a slightly weaker earth's magnetic field because of the divergence of magnetic lines from the pole. Therefore the repelling force will be less than the attracting force, and the magnet will "weigh" more (read higher value on a scale).

If you do not allow the magnet to freely turn in earth's field, you can find an orientation in which the forces on the two poles exactly cancel, and in this orientation there will be no affect of the magnetic field on the weight of the magnet.

NOTE: I am assuming you are standing at the north magnetic pole where the magnetic force lines turn into the earth.

Answer 3

my guess is since the force is proportional to distance and the side of attraction leads the side that is propelled the answer should be yes but I would like to see what an expert on the matter would say.