The Compass

The Compass

A compass is an instrument which is used to find the direction of a magnetic field. A compass consists of a small metal needle which is magnetised itself and which is free to turn in any direction. Therefore, when in the presence of a magnetic field, the needle is able to line up in the same direction as the field.



Did You Know?

Lodestone, a magnetised form of iron-oxide, was found to orientate itself in a north-south direction if left free to rotate by suspension on a string or on a float in water. Lodestone was therefore used as an early navigational compass.

Compasses are mainly used in navigation to find direction on the earth. This works because the Earth itself has a magnetic field which is similar to that of a bar magnet (see the picture below). The compass needle aligns with the Earth’s magnetic field direction and points north-south. Once you know where north is, you can figure out any other direction. A photograph of a compass is shown on the right.

Some animals can detect magnetic fields, which helps them orientate themselves and navigate. Animals which can do this include pigeons, bees, Monarch butterflies, sea turtles and certain fish.

A compass

Photograph by Alex on Flickr


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This is a lesson from the tutorial, Magnetism and Faraday's Law and you are encouraged to log in or register, so that you can track your progress.

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