Donate SIGN UP
Home > Science > Magnetic Poles

Magnetic Poles

Avatar Image
jellytot01 | 10:45 Sun 09th Jan 2005 | Science
3 Answers
Why is the south pole of the earth's magnet at the earth's geographical North Pole?
prev Laser Energy
  
next Magnetic Fields
Gravatar

Answers

1 to 3 of 3rss feed

Best Answer

No best answer has yet been selected by jellytot01. Once a best answer has been selected, it will be shown here.

For more on marking an answer as the "Best Answer", please visit our FAQ.
Avatar Image PFD
Every few thousand years or so the orientation of the Earth's magnetic field flips. It is not known what causes this phenomenon. Incidentally, the next switch is long overdue.
20:56 Wed 12th Jan 2005
Avatar Image Dacetine

I'm guessing here but it may be because we originally defined magnetic North and South poles in reference to compass needles rather than to the Earth's magnetic field. In magnetism opposites attract, so our "North" compass pole is attracted to Earth's "South" magnetic pole (which is at Earth's geographical north pole).

Does this make any sense whatsoever?

15:26 Fri 21st Jan 2005
Avatar Image shaun_04
The North pole of a bar magnet was named so, because it points to the North of the Earth.
21:05 Thu 23rd Nov 2006

1 to 3 of 3rss feed

Do you know the answer?

Magnetic Poles

Answer Question >>