CHARACTERISTICS OF A MAGNET.

1.EARTH-A GIGANTIC MAGNET.

• The Earth acts like a very big, weak magnet
• The pointer in a compass always points north because Earth is a giant magnet.
• Imagine a huge bar magnet passing through Earth’s axis, as illustrated in Figure below.
• This is a good representation of Earth as a magnet.
• Like a bar magnet, Earth has north and south magnetic poles and a magnetic field.
• https://www.ck12.org/book/CK-12-Physical-Science-For-Middle-School/section/24.2/

Earth’s Magnetic Poles

• Although a compass always points north, it doesn’t point to Earth’s geographic north pole, which is located at 90° north latitude (see Figurebelow).
• Instead, it points to Earth’s magnetic north pole, which is located at about 80° north latitude.
• Earth’s magnetic south pole is also located several degrees of latitude away from the geographic south pole.
• https://www.ck12.org/book/CK-12-Physical-Science-For-Middle-School/section/24.2/

• A compass pointer has north and south poles, and its north pole points to Earth’s magnetic north pole.
• Why does this happen if opposite poles attract? Why doesn’t the compass needle point south instead? The answer may surprise you.
• Earth’s magnetic north pole is actually the south pole of magnet Earth! It’s called the magnetic north pole to avoid confusion.
• Because it’s close to the geographic north pole, it would be confusing to call it the magnetic south pole.
• https://www.ck12.org/book/CK-12-Physical-Science-For-Middle-School/section/24.2/