In Search of North Where is north and south on a magnet? email to friend
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Where is north and south on a magnet? Can you use a magnet to find north or south? Isn't a compass just a very sensitive magnet? Read on for some magnet secrets.

Did you know that the Earth is like a huge magnet? Its poles are near the geographic North and South poles. The magnetic north and south poles are near the geographic poles which are located on opposite sides of the earth. However, they are not fixed in position. They move many miles each year. Currently, the magnetic north pole is over 1000 miles away from the geographic North Pole. The needle in a compass is actually a magnet that seeks and lines up with the magnetic poles of the earth.

Materials

- Magnet
- String
- Some tape

Experiment

A magnetic wand can be used as a compass, but first you must find and mark the north pole on it. Tie a 12 inch length of string through the hole in the handle of the wand, and face north. Let the wand hang freely on the string in front of you. Remember that on this magnet the poles are on the large flat faces of the magnet. When the wand stops spinning, mark the side of the magnet that faces north with a piece of tape. This is the north- seeking pole of the magnet.

Now you can find the north direction any time you want by dangling the wand. Once you know which way is north, you can find east, west and south.