What would happen if you used a compass in space?
A compass, on earth, points to the earth’s magnetic north pole. In space it would point to the nearest magnetic field if there was one close enough. So, no, it would not work in space as it does on the surface of the earth.
What does Earth’s interior have to do with why a compass works?
A compass works by detecting and responding to the Earth’s natural magnetic fields. The Earth has an iron core that is part liquid and part solid crystal, due to gravitational pressure. It is believed that movement in the liquid outer core is what produces the Earth’s magnetic field.
How does a compass work on Earth’s surface?
The Earth is a magnet that can interact with other magnets in this way, so the north end of a compass magnet is drawn to align with the Earth’s magnetic field. Because the Earth’s magnetic North Pole attracts the “north” ends of other magnets, it is technically the “South Pole” of our planet’s magnetic field.
What direction would a compass point in space?
If you were right at the North Pole it would actually point straight downwards and if you were at the south pole it would point straight upwards. Now if you were out in space you would have the same thing. So if you were above the equator it would essentially be pointing to the north.
Why does a compass point towards Earth’s geographic North Pole?
The north pole of a compass magnet points toward the north. Earth’s south magnetic pole is near Earth’s geographic north. Earth’s magnetic north pole is near Earth’s geographic south. That’s why the north pole of a compass points toward north because that’s where Earth’s south magnetic pole is located and they attract.
What would a compass do at the North Pole?
If you mean the geographical North Pole, the needle would point south, as that is the only direction one can go from there; more specifically it would point south along the 112.4 degrees west longitude meridian towards the magnetic north pole at 82 degrees north, which is where compasses point.
Can you light a fire on the Moon?
Moon has no atmosphere, nor it has oxygen that is necessary for lighting a fire. Therefore, we cannot light a fire on Moon. Sound requires a mechanical medium like air for its propagation but on the Moon, there is no atmosphere to carry the sound. Therefore, life cannot exist on the Moon.