A compass needle is a small magnet that is free to turn.
An ordinary compass needle can only turn in a horizontal plane.
A dipping compass needle can turn in a vertical plane.
Explain why an ordinary compass needle points north when there are no magnets nearby.
In the UK, the north end of a dipping compass needle points north and downwards into the ground at an angle of about 66∘ 66^\circ\,66∘ to the horizontal.
Explain how this is evidence that the core of the Earth must be magnetic.
Describe how a dipping compass needle points at the equator.
The north end of a compass needle points towards the Arctic.
A student says:
'This shows that there is a magnetic north pole under the Arctic.'
Explain why the student is wrong.
44 exam-style questions on OCR GCSE Physics 4.1 Magnets and magnetic fields, covering 4.1.1 Magnetic poles, attraction and repulsion, 4.1.2 Permanent and induced magnets, 4.1.3 The magnetic field of a magnet, 4.1.4 Compasses and the Earth's magnetic field, 4.1.5 The magnetic field around a current-carrying wire, 4.1.6 Field strength, current and distance, and 4.1.7 Solenoids and electromagnets. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.