(:magnetic field :)
A compass needle is lightly magnetized, and will align itself with the lines of magnetic force at your locale. *It will not necessarily point to the Poles. The South magnetic pole is currently at about 68 deg S - some long way from 90 deg.
answ2. A needle may easily be magnetized by gently stroking it in one direction. This can be converted into a compass which you may carefully float on the surface of water, where it will align itself with the lines of magnetic force at your location.You could speed up the process of magnetizing your needle by stroking it with one end of your magnet.In either case, if you consider the 'needle floating on surface tension' to be too difficult, you can pierce a small bit of cork or polystyrene foam with your needle, and float that.No
A compass needle, as well as everything else on Earth, is ALWAYS within a magnetic field. If the compass needle is free to turn, it will align itself with the magnetic field, and point along the north/south axis of the field. If another magnetic field source appears near the compass ... such as a current-carrying electrical conductor, or a toy magnet in somebody's pocket ... whose field strength is comparable to the Earth's, then the compass will deflect, and realign itself along the north/south axis of the SUM of the fields.
The compass needle is a small bar magnet balanced on a pin. It swivels freely on this balance point. This is how it can align with the magnetic field of the Earth to show what direction magnetic north is. When you introduce another magnetic field, like from a magnet in close proximity, the needle will align with these local fields since their field strength is stronger than Earth's magnetic field - locally.
The compass needle is a small bar magnet balanced on a pin. It swivels freely on this balance point. This is how it can align with the magnetic field of the Earth to show what direction magnetic north is. When you introduce another magnetic field, like from a magnet in close proximity, the needle will align with these local fields since their field strength is stronger than Earth's magnetic field - locally.
A needle
A compass needle is lightly magnetized, and will align itself with the lines of magnetic force at your locale. *It will not necessarily point to the Poles. The South magnetic pole is currently at about 68 deg S - some long way from 90 deg.
A compass needle aligns itself with the Earth's magnetic field because it is a magnet itself. The north-seeking end of the needle is attracted to the Earth's magnetic north pole, causing it to point in a north-south direction.
The magnetized needle of a compass is attracted to the Earth's own magnetic field which has magnetic poles at the North and South.
A compass housing is the frame within which a compass needle turns. The housing provides a stationary mechanical reference and also a protective enclosure within which the compass needle can pivot to align itself with the earth's magnetic field.
answ2. A needle may easily be magnetized by gently stroking it in one direction. This can be converted into a compass which you may carefully float on the surface of water, where it will align itself with the lines of magnetic force at your location.You could speed up the process of magnetizing your needle by stroking it with one end of your magnet.In either case, if you consider the 'needle floating on surface tension' to be too difficult, you can pierce a small bit of cork or polystyrene foam with your needle, and float that.No
The compass needle is magnetic, so it aligns itself with the magnetic poles. For more information on magnetic fields, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnetic_field
The compass needle aligns to the Earth's magnetic field. This magnetic field is not exactly aligned with the Earth's rotation, but the magnetic south pole is close enough to the geographic north pole for the compass to be useful in most places.
If you are at the North pole, the north point of the magnetic needle in the compass will tilt a little downwards, and the south pole of the compass needle will tilt upwards. If you hold the compass in a direction vertically perpendicular to the surface of the Earth, the needle will align itself like the earth's magnetic field, as if it were a huge bar magnet, the north part of the needle facing upwards.
The direction of magnetic flux or lines of force is from north polarity to south polarity, and a compass needle will always align with that direction, wherever it is used. Since the magnetic polarity of the location we call Magnetic North is a south, a compass needle will point in that direction.
A compass needle will align itself with a magnetic field. It will want to lie along the magnetic field lines, or lie parallel to the lines of force of the magnetic field it is interacting with.
A compass needle, as well as everything else on Earth, is ALWAYS within a magnetic field. If the compass needle is free to turn, it will align itself with the magnetic field, and point along the north/south axis of the field. If another magnetic field source appears near the compass ... such as a current-carrying electrical conductor, or a toy magnet in somebody's pocket ... whose field strength is comparable to the Earth's, then the compass will deflect, and realign itself along the north/south axis of the SUM of the fields.