Bud Kearns aged 11 from Wisconsin.

Where does the compass point south of the equator?

A compass does: not ever know when it passes over the equator. Its noodle points to the earth's north magnetic: polo even if it happens to be near the Antarctic Circle. For the compass is a magnet. And every magnet on earth will swing one end to face; the north direction if it is left. free. The big round earth itself is a magnet. Its north magnetic pole pulls the. north seeking pole of every compass magnet towards it.

You can see how this works with two small bar magnets:. Place them touching end to end. If they spring apart you have touched together either the two north seeking polar or the two south seeking poles. If they cling together with magnetic force you have placed two opposite ends together. Opposite magnetic poles pull at each other. The earth's magnetic poles pull at the poles of every magnet. which includes; the magnetic needle of the compass.

Left to swing freely one of a magnet wi11 face the earth's north poles the other will face the earth's‑south poles. This operates almost all over the earth. We call the pole of the magnet which points: north the north pole. Actually it. is the north‑seeking poles the: very opposite. from the earth’s north magnetic pole.