How Is Earth’s Geographic Poles Different from Magnetic Poles?

     The Earth’s Geographic Poles are opposite to its Magnetic Poles. The Earth’s magnetic field is just like the one produced by a huge bar magnet at the center of Earth, with the North Magnetic Pole corresponding to the South Geographic Pole and South Magnetic Pole corresponding to the North Geographic Pole. Therefore if a compass is pointing at the North, it means it is pointing at the Geographic North Pole but also at the Magnetic South Pole. That actually makes sense if you think about it. The needle in the compass is magnetized, so it can actually be considered as a magnet, so it’s magnetic north pole is supposed to being attracted to the Earth’s Magnetic South Pole, which is at the same time the Geographic Norton Pole.

     The Earth's magnetic dipole originates in molten iron deep in the Earth’s core and extends more than 10 Earth radii out into space on the side facing the Sun, plus all the way to the Moon's orbit on the opposite side. Magnetic field lines loop out of the South Geographic Pole and into the North Geographic Pole. The mgnetic field lines are close together near the magnetic poles where the magnetic force is strong, and spread out where it is relatively weak. The magnetic axis is tilted at an angle of 11.7 degrees with respect to the Earth’s rotational axis.

  • Subject : Science
  • Topic : Earth / Environmental, Physics, Physical Science
  • Posted By : Jason

Watch Our Demo