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Why do explorers in the Arctic and Antarctic rarely use a compass to find the orientation?
Mamahong
Explorers working on either pole of the earth don't use compasses because they don't work accurately so far north or so far south. The way a compass works is by using a magnet with a "north" pole and a "south" pole. If you've ever held two magnets near each other, you may have noticed that they will either stick together or push apart. That's because of their poles. North and south stick together, but north and north or south and south will not.
The earth is like a gigantic magnet. Its north pole is the same as the south pole of a magnet, so on a compass the north arrow points towards the north pole.
You could think of it this way: at the north pole and the south pole the compass won't work because the north pole is all one side of a magnet and the south pole is all the other side of it. So when you have a compass at the north pole, it's both attracted and repelled at the same time so it ends up pointing in some random direction or toward the closest piece of metal that a magnet will stick to.
Now let's pretend for a moment that you have a really fancy compass that works accurately even at the north pole. If you used the compass to find your way all the way to the very tip of the earth, you would be at the most north point. If you then went true east (east according to a map) then your compass would do something funny. Instead of pointing north, your compass would be pointing west!
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∙ 15y ago
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What causes the midnight sun?
The midnight sun is a phenomenon occurring in latitudes north and nearby to the south of the Arctic Circle and south and nearby to the north of the Antarctic Circle where the sun remains visible at the local midnight.Since the Earth's axis is tilted with respect to the ecliptic by approximately 23 degrees 27 minutes, the sun does not set at high latitudes in (local) summer. The duration of the midnight sun increases from one day during the summer solstice at the polar circle to approximately six months at the poles. At extreme latitudes, it is usually referred to as polar day. The length of the time the sun is above the horizon varies from 20 hours at the Arctic Circle and Antarctic Circle to 186 days at the poles.Overall, it's the earth axis inclination to its course around the sun which causes the seasons, midnight sun and the midwinter darkness. It's also the same inclination that defines where the Arctic circle goes.---- Source:http://fairbanks-alaska.com/midnite-sun.htmhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midnight_sun
Mercury or ethanol thermometer in arctic?
Definitely ethanol. Ethanol doesn't freeze until around -178F; mercury freezes at around -38F. You aren't going to see -178F in the arctic on earth, but -38F is far from impossible.
In what situations on earth are insulation and limiting thermal energy transfer important?
When you are out and about in the arctic in winter.
Is 66 degrees Fahrenheit hot?
no it is really really cold so wear clothes like your out in the Arctic
Where is the earth's magnetic field located?
The latest figures available for the position of the Magnetic North Pole is 82.7N and 114.4W. This figure is from 2005. The position of the Magnetic North Pole has historically moved at a rate of about 10 miles per year up until the early 1990's when it accelerated to its present rate of about 37 miles per year. It is currently moving towards Siberia.Northern Canada, a few hundred miles from the geographic north pole.APEX: wanderingCommentIt's incorrect to describe 'Magnetic North' as a 'pole' -either in the geographic sense, or in the magnetic sense. The term is used to differentiate between it and 'True North', which isconsidered to be a 'pole' in the geographic sense.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 (unlike poles attract).
Which way round is the antarctic and the arctic?
Arctic north, Antarctic south.
What was the major difference about the arctic and the antarctic?
The Antarctic is a landmass: the Arctic is sea ice.
Are you in the arctic or Antarctic region if you are at the North Pole?
Arctic. Antarctic is the South Pole.
Which is colder the antarctic or the arctic?
The Antarctic is colder.
What are the areas north of the Arctic Circle and south of the Antarctic Circle called?
The Arctic and the Antarctic
Where are the Arctic and Antarctic?
The Arctic surrounds the North Pole and the Antarctic surrounds the South Pole.
Is the north pole in the Arctic or the Antarctic?
The arctic. The Antarctic is on the southern most part of the world.
What are the differences between the Arctic and Antarctic?
The difference is that in the arctic there are Polar bears and in the antarctic there are penguins. You will never find a polar bear in the antarctic and you will never find a penguin in the arctic.
Which is north Arctic or Antarctic?
The Arctic is north.
Which has more animals the Arctic or the Antarctic?
the Arctic
Which is melting faster the Arctic or the Antarctic?
The Arctic
Where do the humans live the Arctic or the Antarctic?
The Arctic
