ANSWER: WHY DOES THE NORTH END OF A COMPASS POINT TO THE MAGNETIC NORTH POLE? When using a compass, the magnetic needle does not point to the Geographic North Pole, but to what we call the Magnetic North Pole. The compass magnetic needle is pointing to what we call the Magnetic North Pole but it is really the Magnetic South Pole because opposite magnet poles attract. So in reality, what we call the Magnetic North Pole is really the Magnetic South Pole and what we call the Magnetic South Pole is really the Magnetic North Pole. Both the Geographic Poles and the Magnetic Poles slowly wander around to different locations every year. This is due to the oblong shape of the Earth and its varying movements. 100 years ago, the Magnetic North Pole (which is really the Magnetic South Pole) was located in Northern Canada, 2,140 km from the Geographic North Pole. Today it is located in the Arctic Ocean just 450 km from Geographic North Pole. It is moving towards Russia at 55 km a year. The Geographic North Pole also moves every year. The Russians planted their flag in the bottom of the Arctic Ocean at the Geographic North Pole in 2007, but it has not been in that exact spot since. Also, the Magnetic South and North Poles are not located on the exact opposite ends of the Earth from each other.
Posted on: Sat, 24 Aug 2013 06:52:41 +0000
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