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Your compass will always point to the earth's north magnetic pole. That spot is about

940 miles from the real north Pole.

Your compass only points to real north if you happen to be on the extension of the line

that joins the two spots. Anywhere else, your compass points to one side or the other

of the real north Pole.

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Q: Is there ever a time when your compass will not point north?
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Which pole of compass needle points to a south pole of a magnet is south pole or north pole?

First of all, it's important to understand that the term, 'magnetic north', is a location and has nothing to do with its magnetic polarity. It is called 'magnetic north' to differentiate it from 'true north', because that is where a compass needle points.Originally, the 'north pole' of a magnet (and of a compass needle) was called its 'north-seeking pole' but, over time, the word 'seeking' has been dropped, and we now call it, simply, the 'north pole' -which, by general agreement, is also its magnetic polarity.Since 'unlike poles attract', this means that the magnetic polarity of the location called 'magnetic north' is actually south. Or, to be more accurate, the region deep within the earth below 'magnetic north' is of south magnetic polarity.


What is the difference between the magnetic North Pole and the North Pole?

Magnetic North is a location in the Arctic, so-called to distinguish that location from that of True North. True North is a fixed point which lies at the axis of rotation of the Earth. The location of Magnetic North is not fixed, but 'wanders' around the position of True North.As the north pole of a compass needle is attracted towards Magnetic North, the magnetic polarity at that location must be south. So, the Earth behaves as though it had an enormous 'bar magnet', deep within the earth, whose south pole corresponds to True North, and whose north pole corresponds to True South.


What happens when you are on the equator with a compass?

Well, at the Amunsden-Scott Station at the geographic south pole, your magnetic compass will point north, as the south magnetic pole is several thousands of km north of the spin pole. It lies well off the coast of Antarctica, which may be (very) roughly considered to be at 67.5oS. It is moving at a good clip in a northerly direction, as the molten rock masses in the interior of the Earth (which create the magnetic field) change shape and position.


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

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...


How did the compass change the earth?

The compass, invented by the Chinese, changed the world many ways. 1. It guided many explorers on voyages like Zheng He on his 7 voyages, one from china to africa, and the well known Colombus to America. 2. Trade flourished around the world because it made long voyages possible 3. It replaced landmarks and stars that couldn't be seen in bad weather etc.

Related questions

Does a compass point to north only in winter?

Nope. It should point that way all the time unless you put a magnet near it and cause the needle to follow that magnet.


What direction does a compass always point?

Magnetic northNorth.In line with the earth's magnetic field.A way to remember the four directions on a compass is Never Eat Soggy Waffles or Never Eat Slimy Worms.magnetic north


Why do magnetic compasses giver false reading?

Because compasses have better things to do.


Why do explorers in the Arctic and Antarctic rarely use a compass to find the orientation?

Explorers working on either pole of the earth don't use compasses because they don't work accurately so far north or so far south. The way a compass works is by using a magnet with a "north" pole and a "south" pole. If you've ever held two magnets near each other, you may have noticed that they will either stick together or push apart. That's because of their poles. North and south stick together, but north and north or south and south will not.The earth is like a gigantic magnet. Its north pole is the same as the south pole of a magnet, so on a compass the north arrow points towards the north pole.You could think of it this way: at the north pole and the south pole the compass won't work because the north pole is all one side of a magnet and the south pole is all the other side of it. So when you have a compass at the north pole, it's both attracted and repelled at the same time so it ends up pointing in some random direction or toward the closest piece of metal that a magnet will stick to.Now let's pretend for a moment that you have a really fancy compass that works accurately even at the north pole. If you used the compass to find your way all the way to the very tip of the earth, you would be at the most north point. If you then went true east (east according to a map) then your compass would do something funny. Instead of pointing north, your compass would be pointing west!


Why is True North called True North?

because it to differentiate between magnetic north and its self true north this is because every 12000 years or so the magnetic poles of the earth switch sides so if you were to use a compass it would point south as of next year some time. Also true north does actually change to but only in accordance to the movement of the earth and in any case stays roughly in the same direction true north and magnetic north are rarely if ever the same.


A compass is a scientific instrument used to locate what?

A compass is a scientific instrument used to locate the north magnetic pole. The magnetic changes in the Earth's core make the north magnetic pole move over time.


The phrase true as a needle to the Pole suggests that?

A compass needle can be trusted to always point in the same direction- the North (magnetic) Pole. It refers to someone that can always be trusted to do the same thing every time.


What is the rhyme for a compass?

N ever E at S weet W heat " kick up a rumpus, but don't lose the compass, get me to the church on time " from "My fair lady"


What do maps use to indicate to the cardinal directions?

Most maps include a "compass rose," a small compass symbol showing which direction is north (often labeled completely with N, E, S, and W).


How successful was Michael Bailey as head of Compass' North American Division?

Bailey became chief executive of Compass Group's North America Division from 1994 to 1999, during which time the division nearly tripled its sales and profits.


Is 'Once Upon a Time in the North' part of the same series as 'The Golden Compass'?

yes its like lyras oxford


How do you calibrate a compass on a Pontiac Bonneville 2001?

HI, You usually have to pick your Zont in time and then hit the calibrate button.......Then you drive slowly in a very small circle till it calibrates. This doesnt work for me for some reason so I set the compass manually. Find North where you are. Point the car to North Keep pushing the Zone button till the North needle points to North. When you have the needle at North you are done!! Works great, fast to setup, easily changed when you go on a long trip.........Drive Safe