How can you actually tell that side is North?

the videomaker already knew which way is north - the sun, for example, is a good "external" reference. what the video shows is how to identify which side of the ceramic magnet is which, so that you can polarise the needle the right way around so that when you build a compass, the needle faces North, NOT South.

I notice you labeled the side of the magnet facing North 'N'. Shouldn't it be 'S' since opposites attract?

Ya , I agree with that opposite attract each other but the main purpose of the compass is to find the direction by using magnetic field around the earth . The 'N' means the northern direction not the poles of magnet. If it is otherwise then people will take more time in identifying direction since they have to do opposite.

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Physics library

Course: Physics library > Unit 18

Lesson 1: Discovery of magnetism

Floating magnet

Name: Floating magnet
Uploaded: 2013-04-26T15:39:03Z
Description: Can you use a magnet as a compass? How can you find North vs. South pole?

Google Classroom

Can you use a magnet as a compass? How can you find North vs. South pole? Created by Brit Cruise.

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shawn.terry
Posted 10 years ago. Direct link to shawn.terry's post “How can you actually tell...”
How can you actually tell that side is North?
Button navigates to signup pageComment on shawn.terry's post “How can you actually tell...”
(11 votes)
Answer
- Peter
  Posted 9 years ago. Direct link to Peter's post “the videomaker already kn...”
  the videomaker already knew which way is north - the sun, for example, is a good "external" reference.
  what the video shows is how to identify which side of the ceramic magnet is which, so that you can polarise the needle the right way around so that when you build a compass, the needle faces North, NOT South.
  Comment on Peter's post “the videomaker already kn...”
  (10 votes)
Michœl
Posted 10 years ago. Direct link to Michœl's post “I notice you labeled the ...”
I notice you labeled the side of the magnet facing North 'N'. Shouldn't it be 'S' since opposites attract?
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(3 votes)
Answer
- Vishal Mishra
  Posted 9 years ago. Direct link to Vishal Mishra's post “Ya , I agree with that op...”
  Ya , I agree with that opposite attract each other but the main purpose of the compass is to find the direction by using magnetic field around the earth . The 'N' means the northern direction not the poles of magnet. If it is otherwise then people will take more time in identifying direction since they have to do opposite.
  Button navigates to signup page
  (4 votes)
daniel torossian
Posted 10 years ago. Direct link to daniel torossian's post “Can you use a magnet as a...”
Can you use a magnet as a compass? How can you find North vs. South pole?
Button navigates to signup pageComment on daniel torossian's post “Can you use a magnet as a...”
(4 votes)
Answer
- Miles Hennis
  Posted 10 years ago. Direct link to Miles Hennis's post “Another way to do this is...”
  Another way to do this is to tape a magnet to a piece of string and then let the magnet dangle. The south pole will point to the north in my opinion.
  Comment on Miles Hennis's post “Another way to do this is...”
  (2 votes)
vikas
Posted 10 years ago. Direct link to vikas's post “just in case th magnet fa...”
just in case th magnet falls in the water unnoticed. what happens to it?does it loose its magnetic power?
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(2 votes)
Answer
- Victoria Chen
  Posted 9 years ago. Direct link to Victoria Chen's post “No, it will not lose it's...”
  No, it will not lose it's magnetism.
  But if you drop it onto the ground (or any hard, flat surface), it will weaken its magnetism. If you heat a magnet, it will lose its magnetism completely.
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  (1 vote)
smitimittal
Posted 9 years ago. Direct link to smitimittal's post “Why does the magnet get a...”
Why does the magnet get attracted to the North side and how do we know which that is?
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(2 votes)
Answer
- DBlockJumper
  Posted 8 years ago. Direct link to DBlockJumper's post “Because of the magnetic p...”
  Because of the magnetic properties of the earth's core.
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  (1 vote)
jc99612510
Posted 8 years ago. Direct link to jc99612510's post “how come it went to the n...”
how come it went to the north and not the south ?
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(2 votes)
Answer
- Milinium Otaku
  Posted 5 years ago. Direct link to Milinium Otaku's post “It went both ways. The no...”
  It went both ways. The north side of the magnet was pulled towards the south, and the south side of the magnet was pulled towards the north.
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  (1 vote)
krithyag
Posted 9 years ago. Direct link to krithyag's post “why can"nt the other si...”
why can"nt the other side be north why only this side
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(1 vote)
Answer
- Peter
  Posted 9 years ago. Direct link to Peter's post “the video show how to tel...”
  the video show how to tell which sides of the "master" magnet are which, not hoe to find out which way is actually North!
  Most of us already know which way North is in our homes - so if you do the experiment at home, you can find out which side of the "master" ceramic magnet is which.
  This step is necessary, else you might end up building a compass which always faces south, rather than north!
  North is easily worked out for the earth, if you just remember that the sun rises in the east and sets in the west! So North has East on the right, and west on the left, and south is the other way around!
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  (1 vote)
anurag methuku
Posted 7 years ago. Direct link to anurag methuku's post “is he refering to geograp...”
is he refering to geographical north and south
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(1 vote)
Answer
- Walid Zorba
  Posted 7 years ago. Direct link to Walid Zorba's post “Nop, he's referring to th...”
  Nop, he's referring to the magnetic North Pole which is geographically different (albeit close) from the North Pole.
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  (1 vote)
BanjoVulcan
Posted 8 years ago. Direct link to BanjoVulcan's post “Is the white item in the ...”
Is the white item in the bottlecap, used to hold the ceramic magnet on its edge, a button? Is it glued to the bottlecap? I think it would be helpful to show this item more prominently for a moment.
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(1 vote)
Answer
- Milinium Otaku
  Posted 5 years ago. Direct link to Milinium Otaku's post “I believe it's just a nor...”
  I believe it's just a normal cap, that happens to have something in the middle.
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  (1 vote)
Erica T
Posted 8 years ago. Direct link to Erica T's post “How do you tell the side ...”
How do you tell the side is facing north? I couldn't get it. Thank you
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(1 vote)
Answer
- OWO
  Posted 8 years ago. Direct link to OWO's post “the right side of the mag...”
  the right side of the magnet is facing north, the other side is facing south.
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  (1 vote)

Video transcript

ceramic magnet bottle cap south – north