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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.

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Charlene Davis

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2y ago
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10y ago

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.

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15y ago

The magnetic north pole is the point to which a compass points. 'True north' is a point on the earth's rotational axis (the earth spins around this point).

These are two different points on the earth's surface, and in fact their positions both change over the years due to different factors.

When using a compass for navigation, the local magnetic declination should be considered, as this tells the traveller how far away their compass will be pointing from true north. Magnetic declination can be as much as 45 degrees - this would mean that a compass pointing NW would be pointing at true north.

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12y ago

The geografic north is exactly where the geometric axis of the earth passes on the north pole.

the magnetic pole is not a fixed point, and varies along the time, near the geographic pole. It means that the compass is not everytime showing the magnetic pole in the same direction. It happens because the huge amounts of melted iron on the earth core change position wich causes the changes in magnetic north. There are studies that shows in the past where were the magnetic pole along the times

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15y ago

True north is where the axis of the earth appears on the crust, magnetic north is where the magnetic field of the earth has it's pole. The magnetic field of all planets shifts on a regular basis(but it takes a long time), so magnetic north won't be near true north forever.

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15y ago

The Earth's axis of rotation goes thru the North (and South) pole. A compass needle points to the Earth's magnetic North pole. As I recall they are about 50 miles apart but this is not a fixed distance as the magnetic north pole wanders around a little. The Earth's magnetic field looks approximately like that of a bar magnet with the poles being near the Earth's geographical poles. Scientists do not know much about how the Earth's magnetic field is produced other then its probably caused by massive circulation of ionized (charged) matter inside the Earth. The fact that the two North poles are near each other helps support this theory because one would expect the ionized matter to circulate in a direction similar to the earth's rotation, which would produce the kind of magnetic field we have.

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14y ago

This might be compared with your left and right hands. They are the same in a way... yet they are different - you can't turn the right hand around so it looks like a left hand.

The main thing you notice with magnets is: A north pole will repel another north pole. A south pole will repel another south pole. A north pole and a south pole will attract each other. Just by looking at the magnet, you can't notice which part is north.

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13y ago

No. True North is the geographic location, while magnetic North is where your compass might point to.

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11y ago

A Compass points to the Magnetic North Pole

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Q: What is the difference between the magnetic North Pole and the North Pole?
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Why is it a problem to have a magnetic North Pole and a geographic North Pole?

An ordinary magnetic compass points to magnetic north, not to true north. If the difference between the two directions is large and not accounted for, you can get lost.


The earth is meaning it has 2 poles?

The Earth has a magnetic field around it. The magnetic North is close to what we call the North Pole. The magnetic South is at the South Pole. There is a magnetic North and South and a geographic North and South pole.


What is the difference between the magnetic poles and the geomagnetic poles?

The Geomagnetic poles (dipole poles) are the intersections of the Earth's surface and the axis of a bar magnet hypothetically placed at the center the Earth by which we approximate the geomagnetic field. There is such a pole in each hemisphere, and the poles are called as "the geomagnetic north pole" and "the geomagnetic south pole", respectively. On the other hand, the magnetic poles are the points at which magnetic needles become vertical. There also are "the magnetic north pole" and "the magnetic south pole". The geomagnetic or magnetic south (north) poles correspond to the N (S) -pole of a magnet.


If you put a North Pole magnet at The Magnetic North Pole will it levitate?

Yes, if you put a north pole magnet at The Magnetic North Pole it will levitate


What is the main difference between the north and south pole-?

In the North Pole the Artic has a natural melting cycle while in the South Pole its ice shelf has the same size and shape. Penguins live in the Southern Hemisphere while Polar Bears live in the Northern Hemisphere.

Related questions

What is the difference between the magnetic north pole and the geographical north pole?

the magnetic north pole moves while the geographic north pole stays in the same place


What is the purpose of a declination?

Assuming the subject is magnetic declination the difference between the north pole and the true north pole this difference, is the magnetic declination, there is not information on what purpose it serves.


Why is it a problem to have a magnetic North Pole and a geographic North Pole?

An ordinary magnetic compass points to magnetic north, not to true north. If the difference between the two directions is large and not accounted for, you can get lost.


What is the main difference between North Pole and South Pole?

The North Magnetic and Geographic Poles are on a floating ice pack although the Magnetic North Pole can be located on a Canadian Island.


Difference of north and south magnet pole?

The Difference Between The Two Poles Is Basically The Magnetic Force Between Them That Pushes Eachother Away. ?


Why are there 2 norths magnetic north and the true north?

True north relates to what we consider the north pole. However the axis on magnetic terms isn't in the same location. Magnetic north is still north but there is an angle difference between the two.


The south pole a compass magnet points toward?

magnetic north north pole =magnetic south


Is the magnetic pole another name for the south pole?

No. The Earth is a spinning sphere, and the axis of the rotation matches the Earth's surface at the north pole and the south pole. If the Earth had an axle, that's where they would poke out. The Earth is also a giant magnet, like an enormous bar magnet. The orientation of this magnet, and the magnetic lines of force from it, are not lined up with the physical axis of the Earth's rotation. The "north magnetic pole" is somewhere in northern Canada, while the south magnetic pole is in Antarctica. When navigating with a magnetic compass, the compass doesn't point at the north pole; it points to the north MAGNETIC pole. In most of Europe, there wasn't a whole lot of difference, but in North America, the difference between true and magnetic north can be dozens of degrees. Navigational maps will list lines of "magnetic variation", which is the difference between true north and magnetic north, so that you can apply the appropriate correction.


What is the maximum magnetic variation on earth?

It will be 180 degrees in any position between the north magnetic pole and the geographical north pole and similar at the south pole


The needle of a compass points to what pole?

north pole Magnetic North PCH answer = Magnetic North


What is the difference between Egypt and the North Pole?

the difference between Egypt and north pole is that Egypt is hot and in the north pole it is cold.


The earth is meaning it has 2 poles?

The Earth has a magnetic field around it. The magnetic North is close to what we call the North Pole. The magnetic South is at the South Pole. There is a magnetic North and South and a geographic North and South pole.