magnetic poles

[Mark Sylvester <msylvest@spin.it>]

Doesn't this all become a non-issue if we say "The Earth's Magnetic North
Pole is a south-seeking pole"?

Mark


> > > > 14) The Earth's "N" pole actually resides in the southern hemisphere
> > >
> > > This statement is very misleading.
> >
> > No, because the definition of "n-type magnet pole" may not be what one
> > would expect.  By the definition found in physics books, the end of a
> > compass which points to the north, contains an "n-type" pole.  Since
> > opposite poles attract, the northern hemisphere of the earth can be
> > regarded as containing an "s-type" pole.
> >
> > > If it were true that the Earth's North
> > > pole
> > > resides in the southern hemisphere, the Southern hemisphere would have 
> > > been called the Northern hemisphere.
> >
> > Or alternativly:  if ancient peoples understood magnets, they would have
> > placed an "S" on the end of a compass needle which points towards the
> > north.  Then we could properly place a big "N" on the earth's northern
> > hemisphere.  But they put the "N" on the wrong end of the compass needle,
> > and physics has taken the compass needle for being a permanent magnet, and
> > preserved the "N" and "S" lables when defining magnetic poles.
Mark Sylvester
United World College of the Adriatic
34013 Duino TS
Italy.
msylvest@spin.it
tel: +39 49 3739 255