A freely pivoting bar magnet (such as a compass needle) is placed in a magnetic field created by other sources. Will its north or south end point in the direction of the field?

Cem Hayes

Cem Hayes

Answered question

2021-02-17

A freely pivoting bar magnet (such as a compass needle) is placed in a magnetic field created by other sources. Will its north or south end point in the direction of the field?

Answer & Explanation

cyhuddwyr9

cyhuddwyr9

Skilled2021-02-19Added 90 answers

The magnetic field lines leave the north pole and enter thesouth pole. The direction of the field line is the dirction of theforce acting on a north pole. So if the field is pushing the northpole away and pulling the south pole toward it that tells you whatpole points in the direction of the north pole.
As an aside, the pole that is at the geographic north of theearth is a south magnetic pole. That is why the north pole of thecompass needle points north.

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