'Magnetic North' is a term used to distinguish that LOCATION from 'True North'. The magnetic polarity of Magnetic North is south because it attracts the north pole of a compass needle (unlike poles attract).
The needle on a compass points to the North Magnetic Pole. CommentA compass points to Magnetic North, not to the north magnetic pole. They are two different things -the first is location, the second is magnetic polarity.
lets say the earth was to have a magnetic polarity reversal the north pole would become the south pole, and the south pole would become the north pole. i hope that helps.
Earth's north magnetic pole is the point on Earth where the planet's magnetic field points vertically downwards. It is currently drifting towards Russia at a rate of about 10 kilometers per year. This pole is different from the geographic North Pole, which is the point where Earth's axis of rotation intersects its surface.
The pole of the magnet that points to earth's magnetic north is the south pole of the magnetIt should be understood that the north pointing end of a compass is a North magnetic pole. That being so, the north pole of the earth got its name because of this fact. Actually, the north pole of the earth has a South magnetic polarity which attracts the north pole of the compass. The south pole of a magnet points to the south pole of the earth because the south pole has a north magnetic polarity. Confused? Just remember that true (magnetic) north resides in the magnet; not in the earth. dbm 7/16/09Clearer AnswerThe above answer is incorrect. The poles of a magnet were named after the directions in which they point. The earth's poles were NOT named after a magnet's poles!When a horizontally-suspended comes to rest, it points in an approximately North-South direction. For this reason, the end of the magnet pointing North was called the 'North-Seeking' pole, and the other end was called its 'South-Seeking' pole. We no longer use the terms 'seeking', and we now call the ends of a magnet its 'north pole' and 'south pole' and these terms are also used to define their magnetic polarities.To differentiate it from True North and True South, we say that the magnet actually points to Magnetic North and Magnetic South -these are the names given to directions (or location) NOT their magnetic polarities. So, because 'unlike poles attract', the magnetic polarity at the location we call 'Magnetic North' is a south pole which therefore attracts the north pole of a magnet.
In a geomagnetic reversal, the south and north magnetic poles flip locations. A magnetic pole reversal takes place every 450,000 years on average, but this is not regular. We are way overdue since the last reversal was 780,000 years ago. There is a pattern in the magnetic polarity of basaltic rocks on opposite sides of a mid-ocean ridge. Basalt contains tiny magnetic crystals that point to the location of the north magnetic pole at the time the lava cools. The rocks at the ridge have positive polarity, but on either side of the ridge the polarity is negative, indicating that those lavas cooled when the magnetic field was opposite of what it is today. On either side of the basalt with negative polarity are more rocks with positive polarity. This pattern continues on both sides of the mid-ocean ridge across the ocean basin. The pattern of magnetic polarity is one of the main lines of evidence for seafloor spreading, which is the mechanism for plate tectonics.
The Earth's North Pole is a magnetic south pole and the South Pole is a magnetic north pole. This means that the North Pole of a compass needle points towards the Earth's magnetic South Pole, and vice versa.
To determine the polarity of a magnet, you can use a compass. The end of the magnet that attracts the north pole of the compass is the magnet's north pole, and the end that attracts the south pole of the compass is the magnet's south pole.
The polarity of a magnet refers to its orientation with respect to the Earth's magnetic field. A magnet has two poles, a north-seeking pole and a south-seeking pole. The north pole of a magnet is attracted to the Earth's geographic North Pole, which is actually a magnetic south pole.
compasses point to it. its at the north pole in the arcticNo It's not, the Magnetic North Pole is at this moment just off Ellesmere Island heading towards Russia at a rate of 40 miles (60 km) per year.AnswerIt depends what you mean by 'magnetic north pole'. If you mean the location, called 'Magnetic North' (arctic), then its polarity is south. If, by 'magnetic north pole', you mean its magnetic polarity, then it's located at Magnetic South (antarctic).
'Magnetic North' is the name of a location, or a direction, and has nothing to do with the magnetic polarity of that region. In fact, its magnetic polarity is a south pole, which accounts for why it attracts the north pole of a magnet or compass (unlike poles attract).
The needle on a compass points to the North Magnetic Pole. CommentA compass points to Magnetic North, not to the north magnetic pole. They are two different things -the first is location, the second is magnetic polarity.
To determine the polarity of a magnet without a compass, you can use the "hanging method." Hang the magnet from a string and observe how it aligns itself. The end that points north is the north pole, and the opposite end is the south pole.
You must not confuse 'Magnetic North' with 'north magnetic pole', as these two things are completely different! 'Magnetic North' is a location, while 'north magnetic pole' refers to the magnetic polarity of the earth's 'Magnetic South'.'Magnetic North' is the point on the earth towards which magnetic compasses point. It is not a fixed position. It is presently (2012) in Canada and is drifting toward Siberia. It should not be confused with Grid, Geographic, or True North, which is a fixed point located at the axis about which the earth revolves. The same applies to the Magnetic South.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.
lets say the earth was to have a magnetic polarity reversal the north pole would become the south pole, and the south pole would become the north pole. i hope that helps.
actually the north pole of our earth(considering it as a big bar magnet) is the geographic south pole.Its called so because it lies on the northern hemisphere.Actually it is the south pole of our big bar magnetAdditional AnswerThe north magnetic pole of a compass needle points to Magnetic North. "Magnetic North" is so-called to differentiate it from "True North", and has nothing whatsoever to do with its magnetic polarity. Actually, the magnetic polarity of Magnetic North is a south pole which, because unlike poles attract, attracts the north pole of the compass needle.
Earth's north magnetic pole is the point on Earth where the planet's magnetic field points vertically downwards. It is currently drifting towards Russia at a rate of about 10 kilometers per year. This pole is different from the geographic North Pole, which is the point where Earth's axis of rotation intersects its surface.
If you mean why planet Earth has a north and a south pole, that's the result of Earth's rotation. The rotation is around an axis; the endpoints of the axis (where this axis goes through Earth's surface) are called north pole and south pole.