A compass needle is a small magnet on a pivot. The needle can swing around freely.Explain why one end of the needle points north.
Question
A compass needle is a small magnet on a pivot. The needle can swing around freely. Explain why one end of the needle points north.
Solution
The Earth itself has a magnetic field, with a north and a south pole. The compass needle is a small magnet, and like all magnets, it has a north and a south pole. The rule of magnets is that opposite poles attract each other. Therefore, the north pole of the magnet is attracted to the Earth's magnetic south pole, which is geographically near the North Pole. This is why one end of the compass needle points north.
Here are the steps:
- The Earth has a magnetic field with a north and a south pole.
- The compass needle is a small magnet with a north and a south pole.
- Opposite poles of magnets attract each other.
- The north pole of the magnet (compass needle) is attracted to the Earth's magnetic south pole.
- The Earth's magnetic south pole is geographically near the North Pole.
- Therefore, one end of the compass needle points north.
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