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OP47 demonstrate that the Earth has a magnetic field, and locate north and south
In the 12th Century (1300’s) the sailors of China, used to hang a small bar of magnetic material freely, they had noticed that it always pointed the same direction. By setting their direction off the direction of the bar they were always able to navigate no matter what the weather. This was the worlds first compass.
William Gilbert discussed the Earth as being a Magnet in 1600 in his book De magnete, magneticisique corporibus
He also first coined the terms He also first used the terms electric force, magnetic pole, and electric attraction.
You can make your own compass too
Draw a rough sketch of the school or house you are in, Use a ruler to make sure all the sides are straight.
Method1
suspend the magnet from a retort stand using a piece of thread
allow the magnet to hang freely,
compare the direction of your magnet to others in the class
some retort stands are better suited to this job than others
can you think why? a Retort stand is made from iron !
Method 2
float a magnet on top of some styrofoam or in a big weighboat
give the magnetic boat a little time to settle
compare the direction of your magnet to others in the class
Draw a line on the map you sketched
If you want to know about magnetism and what causes it watch this very good video
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