Question

The dip angle at a place in south India is about \[{18^o}\] . Then the dip angle in Britain will be
(A) Greater than \[{18^o}\]
(B) Lesser than \[{18^o}\]
(C) Equal to \[{18^o}\]
(D) 0

Answer 1

Hint: Dip angle is the angle of inclination made by the earth’s magnetic field with respect to the surface of the earth. Now we need to analyse the position of Britain with respect to the position of South India on map. A place closer to the pole will have an angle close to 90 and someplace close to the equator will have an angle close to 0.

Complete step-by-step solution
Dip angle is the angle made by the earth’s magnetic field with the horizontal. So, it is 90 at the north and South Pole and 0 at the equator. It decreases gradually when a body travels from the North Pole to the equator and again starts to increase when the body moves past the equator towards the South Pole. As we know that Britain is closer to the North Pole than south India. So, for a body which is near the north and South Pole, its dip angle or the inclination of the earth’s magnetic field with the horizontal will be more as compared to a place which is close to the equator.

Therefore, the correct answer is option A.

Note The dip angle at the equator is 0. This is because the magnetic lines of force, which originate from the north pole and settle down in the south pole, are almost parallel to the surface of the earth. At the pole, the angle is 90 because the lines of force are originating from the surface of the Earth vertically up.