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On a magnetic compass, the needle marked North points towards magnetic North, provided there is no ferrous metal nearby. Magnetic North is not the same as geographic North (North Pole). On a metal ship, the magnetic compass has to be adjusted (box the compass) to allow for the metal round the ship. By steering a compass course, allowing for drift caused by the wind and the ebbing and flooding of the tides, a ship should be able to reach a distance port, or at least be with in sight.

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What best explains why Portugal got off to an earlier start in exploration than the rest of Europe?

The biggest reason was that Portugal had Prince Henry who founded a school for navigators and favored sailors.


What did sailors no longer need in order to navigate once Chinese discovered the compass?

Once the Chinese discovered the compass, sailors no longer needed to rely solely on celestial navigation, which depended on the position of the stars, sun, and moon. The compass provided a reliable means of determining direction regardless of weather conditions or time of day, allowing for more accurate navigation even in overcast skies or at night. This innovation significantly enhanced maritime travel and exploration, enabling sailors to venture into uncharted waters with greater confidence.


What route did Cabot take?

At the time, many sailors and navigators believed that there was a water route called the Northwest Passage that ran from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean along the border of the modern U.S. and Canada. He took that route.


What where the navigational tools the sailors could use during the 15th century?

Compass and astrolabe. Along with larger ships and the movable sail it allowed for exploration.


What did sailors rely on before compasses were invented?

Sailors rely on stars before compasses were invented, some sailors rely on landmarks too! (But most sailors who rely on landmarks get lost, just think of it your in the Atlantic ocean there are no land marks just water, they did that about five ((5)) years then saw a pattern in the stars to help them get where there going, so before the compass they used stars.)

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How did the magnetic compass help exploration?

The magnetic compass helped exploration by providing a reliable method for determining direction, allowing navigators to more accurately plot their course. This technology enabled sailors to venture further from land and explore new territories with greater confidence.


How navigators and sailors used magnetic compass?

The Earth's magnetic field is what makes the common magnetic compass work. From its invention until the advent of newer technologies beginning around the turn of the 20th century, the magnetic compass, together with the sextant and the chronometer, constituted the primary tools of the navigator. Of course, the compass' primary role was to facilitate steering ships on the right heading under conditions where the Sun and stars could not be seen.


What instrument invented by the Chinese to show direction?

The magnetic compass was invented by the Chinese to show direction. It consisted of a magnetized needle floating in water, pointing towards the Earth's magnetic poles, allowing sailors to navigate accurately.


What type of force did sailors use to help navigate the waters?

Navigators can use a magnetic compass to determine which way is North even when they can't see the North Star.


Who first used the compass rose?

The compass rose was first used by early navigators and cartographers in the 14th century to show the orientation of maps and charts. It helped sailors determine direction and navigate the seas accurately using the cardinal and intercardinal directions.


When was the first magnetic compass invented?

The magnetic compass is an old Chinese invention, first made in China. but the first was made in the Qin dynasty in 221-206 BC


How did the magnetic compass change life in Europe?

A Magnetic Compass showed directions to many sailors who later discovered many things


What is used by sailor to known the direction?

The Sun rises in the East and Sets in the West.


What device was used by sailors to determine direction?

The Compass-