Question

A compass can be used to find the East-West direction at any place.
A.)True
B.)False

Answer 1

Hint: A magnetic compass is a device used for navigation. It mainly consists of a freely attached magnetic needle on a pivot. This magnetic needle always points towards the magnetic north direction.

Complete step by step answer:
A compass is an instrument mainly used for navigation. It can show the direction relative to the geographic directions.

The magnet compass always points towards the north. Since all the magnets are composed of two poles. Generally, the north pole of a magnet will attract the south pole of the magnet. As we know our Earth is a magnet. It can also attract other magnets. So the north pole of the magnetic compass will align in the magnetic field of the earth. Here, the earth’s magnetic north end attracts the north pole of the magnetic compass. Technically this is the south pole of the earth’s magnetic field. So we can find out the north direction with a compass. If we can find the north direction, the other four directions are also possible to find. Since they are aligning just like a cross. So the correct option is A.

Additional information:
To find the north direction we don’t need a specific compass. We can find it even with an iron needle. If we are placing this needle on a freely floating wood, it will point towards the north direction. Modern compass is made with a magnetic needle that floats freely and is attached on a central pivot. The electronic compass is also there. They can find the direction by measuring the small currents in a coil, induced by the earth’s magnetic field.
It is better to learn the earth’s magnetic field to understand the working of the magnetic compass. Earth is having two types of poles. Geographic and magnetic poles. Geographic poles are the points on the earth where the line of earth’s axis of rotation meets. You can simply understand this by using a pencil and a lemon. If you pierced a pencil through the centre of the lemon, it will be the axis of rotation of that lemon. Both edges of the pencil are the geographic poles. So the geographic pole can be defined as the true north. According to the studies, the geographic poles are not magnetic poles. The angular difference between magnetic and geographic poles is known as magnetic declination. The magnetic poles shift slightly with the time.

Note: If we are considering the earth as a bar magnet. As we know magnetic field lines always align from north pole to south pole. So the magnetic north pole that we are measuring with a magnetic compass is the south pole of the bar magnet. Do not think compass can’t find other directions. Even the magnetic compass points towards the north direction, all other directions can find out from that.