Where are the magnetic North Pole and the geographic North Pole located?

Answer 1

magnetic south pole is closer to the geographic north pole..... that's why north pole of bar magnet when suspended free in air shows the north direction...

Answer 2

the geographic north pole is at the top of the world. your compass points to the magnetic north pole. Not the geographic north pole. Hope this Helps

Comment

It's incorrect to describe 'Magnetic North' as a 'pole' -either in the geographic sense, or in the magnetic sense. The term is used to differentiate between it and 'True North', which isconsidered to be a 'pole' in the geographic sense.

The term, 'Magnetic North' describes a location, and has absolutely nothing to do with its magnetic polarity. The magnetic polarity of the location we call Magnetic North is actually a south pole, which is the reason it attracts the north pole of a magnet or compass needle (unlike poles attract).

Answer 3

First answer by Fwmh.

A compass only functions as an indicator to "Magnetic North" because the magnetic bar at the heart of the compass aligns itself to one of the lines of Earth's magnetic field.

However, consider two bar magnets, you will find that if you try to push like poles together, they will repel one another.

Thus the end of a bar magnet that actually points to Earth's northern magnetic pole is the southern pole of the bar magnet.

Thus the "north pointer" end of a compass pointer is actually the southern end of the magnet in the compass.

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Not intended to improve, but--> If you care, lol, The difference between Magnetic North and Geographic North is important if you are using a compass to navigate. For us, the difference would throw us off only 1.5 degrees, which is only significant if you are doing precise orienteering.

In Alaska and other places near the poles, North and South, the difference between Geographic North and Magnetic North is a big deal! Local maps generally contain a note and graphic showing the difference between MN and GN for the area of the map.

This answer is incorrect.

'Magnetic North' is a location, not its magnetic polarity, which is south. Thus, the end of a magnet or compass needle that points to Magnetic North has a north polarity.

Answer 4

Let's start by sorting out the terminology.

'True North' and 'True South' are located at opposite ends of the earth's axis of rotation. True North is located in the Arctic, and True South is located in the Antarctic.

Nearby, are two other LOCATIONS that we call 'Magnetic North' and 'Magnetic South' -so called in order to distinguish these locations from True North and True South. The locations of Magnetic North and South are not fixed, but tend, over time, to 'wander' around True North and True South.

Magnets and compass needles have two magnetic 'poles'. Originally, these were named the 'north-seeking pole' and the 'south-seeking pole' -because those were the directions in which they roughly pointed. In fact, they point to Magnetic North and Magnetic South. These days we simply call them the 'north' and 'south' poles of a magnet.

Because 'unlike poles attract', the reason the north pole of a compass or magnet points towards Magnetic North (and the south pole points towards Magnetic South), is that the LOCATION we call 'Magnetic North' must, magnetically, be a south pole.

So the magnetic polarity of Magnetic North location is a south, and the magnetic polarity of Magnetic South location is a north.

It's as simple as that!!!! No mixup! No misnaming of the poles! Any confusion is simply due to poor teachers!!!

Answer 5

South.

Strictly speaking, the geographic North Pole, or 'True North' as it is more-generally termed, is a location and does not have a magnetic polarity. Compass needles do not point to True North but to 'Magnetic North' which is displaced away from True North and constantly 'wanders'.

'Magnetic North' is a location or, more accurately, a direction; it is not its magnetic polarity. Because the north pole of a compass is attracted towards Magnetic North then, because 'unlike poles attract', the magnetic polarity of Magnetic North is actually south.

Remember, a compass needle aligns itself with lines of magnetic flux which, by general agreement, have the direction north (polarity) to south (polarity) -that is, from Magnetic South to Magnetic North.

Answer 6

None actually.

The closest magnetic pole is a south pole (which attracts the north pole of compasses).