Gabrielle von Tiesenhausen. age 12, of Vancouver, B.C., Canada, or her question:

What makes a compass point north?

The needle of the magnetic compass is a sliver of magnetized metal. It has a north pole that attracts the south pole of any other magnet. Naturally, its south pole is attracted to the north pole of all other magnets. In magnets, opposites attract each, other. And it so happens that the earth acts like the giant of all magnets. The compass needle is fixed to swing freely around on a pivot. So, the ends of the needle are attracted to swing around and point toward the opposite poles of the earth's magnet.

This was discovered before people understood about the two opposite poles of all magnets. Naturally, they thought that the north pole of the compass needle points to the earth's north magnetic pole. It's too late to change things. But it would be more correct to say that the north seeking pole of a compass points north