Magnet and compass

[rogerthebodger]

It which end of a bar magnet would the north pointing end of a compass needle be attracted north or south.

I need to check the magnet in the chain counter fitted to my windlass

 

[barnaclephill]

Opposites attract. Like poles repel, like when playing with toy magnets.

The N in the compass is a north-seeking pole, so it must be a south pole, attracted to the Earth's N pole.


FWIW I read in the newspaper only about 2 weeks ago that there has been 2 north magnetic poles for a while (one in Canada and one in Siberia), and that only recently did a second one develop in the south, somewhere near Argentina( the original S magnetic pole being in the Southern Ocean somewhere way south of between Sth Africa & West Aust.

I'm sure I'll be corrected.

 

[Eygthene]

Referring first to your compass needle "The pole which points towards the earth's north pole is called the north-seeking or simply the north pole of the compass needle." (quotation from a physics text book). Actually the magnetic pole in the earth's northern hemisphere is a magnetic south pole.

When placed near a bar magnet, the north pointing end of the compass would be pointing towards the south pole of the magnet.

 

[VicS]

As John Baldock says the end of your compass that points to the north is correctly termed "north seeking" but is simply called "north". It will point to the south pole of another magnet.