Iron or steel
It is magnetic and would throw off your little dial
The compass needle is made of a small piece of magnetized steel, that in use aligns itself parallel with the lines of magnetic force at your location.In the northern hemisphere, by and large, the N painted end of the needle will point towards the North Pole.In the Southern Hemisphere, by and large, the S pole of the needle will point to the South Pole. (For it is the strongest there.)Because the compass needle will follow the lines of force, and these lines dip into the earth, compasses designed for use in the N hemisphere will have a small counter balancing weight to bring the needle to level.Analogously for compasses designed for use in the southern hemisphere.For people who wish to use their compass anywhere on the Earth, (such as military) they will have a slightly insensitive needle, and a more massive plate or dial.Having the dial (or card) immersed in a slightly viscous fluid will help steady the swinging of the needle.It is made from any magnetic material such as steel
The compass needle would be affected by the magnetic field from the nearby magnet. The needle would align itself with the magnetic field of the magnet, causing the compass to point in a direction different from true north.
You can perform a simple test by bringing a compass close to the metal bar. If the compass needle moves or aligns with the metal bar, then the bar is likely a magnet. Another test involves observing if the metal bar can attract small metal objects like paper clips.
It is still a needle, but could be referred to as a compass needle.
The north end of a compass needle would point toward the north pole of a bar magnet.
The compass needle would align itself with the direction of the current flow.
If there is a magnet beside a compass, the compass needle would be influenced by the magnetic field of the magnet rather than Earth's magnetic field. The needle would point towards the opposite pole of the magnet, so if the magnet's north pole is beside the compass, the compass needle would point towards the south.
The compass needle aligns itself parallel to the direction of the lines of magnetic force where it happens to be. It does not 'point to a particular pole' for that is beyond the sensibility of a simple bar of metal. I repeat, it aligns itself parallel to the lines of magnetic force ...
The compass needle would align itself with the magnetic field produced by the electromagnet. The north-seeking pole of the compass needle would point towards the south pole of the electromagnet, indicating the direction of the magnetic field.
In space, a compass would not be able to function properly as it relies on Earth's magnetic field for orientation. Without a magnetic field, the needle in a compass would not have a specific direction to point to.
Iron is a poor choice for a compass housing because it is easily magnetized, which can interfere with the compass needle's ability to point accurately to magnetic north. Iron is also prone to corrosion, which can affect the compass's functioning over time. Using non-magnetic and non-corrosive materials, such as brass or aluminum, would be more ideal for compass housings.