(1) The compass needle is fairly free to move, since it is hung up on a tiny pin. (A similar effect can be obtained if you hang a magnet from a piece of string.) (2) The compass needle is magnetic. (3) It reacts to the magnetism of the Earth.
Please note that the Earth's magnetic south pole is close to the geographic north pole, but they don't coincide exactly. In other words, the magnetism isn't exactly aligned with the Earth's rotation, meaning that the compass is not entirely accurate.
To indicate the direction in which the map is drawn to. Without the compass rose, you would not know which direction you are heading to, neither would you be able to navigate your way out with a compass in your hand.
The only way to make current flow through a compass needle is to connect a wire to each end of the needle. When you do that, the direction the needle points is completely determined by the wires, and it's no longer free to rotate. So I'd say that nothing at all interesting happens.
The US standard is to have the Red point North (look at the rim of the compass, is the 'N' also red or outlined in red?) You should verify this, however, because many things can mess up a compass. I have one that works fine, but White points north because my 4 year old played with a large magnet next to it reversing the polarity. If all else fails, wait for sunrise or sunset. If you look towards sunrise, North is to your Left and South is to your right.
Well, darling, a compass with east and west reversed is most likely just a faulty compass. It could be due to a manufacturing error or magnetic interference messing with its needle. Either way, it's not going to be very helpful in guiding you anywhere except maybe in circles.
Displacement.
Its ovious why a compass points in different directions. For example, if your going north, the compass points north because your going that direction. Theres also a magnet concealed in the compass. How does the compass know what direction yoiur going. Earth it self is a magnet. When you head that direction, it will point
A compass rose.
Compass points are officially known as cardinal points. They are North, South, East and West. They are the general points of direction used all over the world.
A compass works by aligning itself with Earth's magnetic field. The needle inside the compass is magnetized and points towards the magnetic north pole. By following the direction the needle points, you can determine which way is north.
The compass indicates the direction of magnetic North, from that you can work out South, East, West and all the other points on the compass.
North south east and west
The term "compass direction" means a direction shown by a magnetic compass, one whose needle will be drawn to a north-south alignment. When at a location and facing a certain direction, the "compass direction" is the one at the top (front) of the moving compass rose. If a location is in that direction, it is the indicated compass direction from the current point.On a map, the direction from one point to another is indicated by the up-down and left-right line between the points, and the compass directions are indicated by a compass rose on the map.
The magnetic needle of a compass points towards the Earth's magnetic North Pole.
The four main points of a compass are north, east, south, and west. These points help in determining direction when navigating.
One end points to magnetic north and the other end points to the south.
If the needle of the compass points directly to your left, it means you are facing north. The needle of a compass always aligns with the Earth's magnetic field, with the red end pointing towards the magnetic north pole and the white (or non-red) end pointing towards the magnetic south pole.
A compass is an instrument for determining direction consisting essentially of a freely suspended magnetic needle that points toward the magnetic north.