If a magnetic compass needle is allowed to pivot freely at the Earth's geographic North Pole, how does it…

If a magnetic compass needle is allowed to pivot freely at the Earth's geographic North Pole, how does it behave under Earth's magnetic influence?
  1. Its North pole points horizontally toward Earth's geographic South Pole
  2. The needle spins continuously without coming to rest
  3. Its North pole dips nearly vertically downward toward the ground
  4. It aligns strictly along the East-West horizontal direction

Solution

Near Earth's geographic North Pole lies the magnetic South pole, causing a freely pivoting magnetic needle to point vertically downward toward the magnetic pole.

Asked in: Homi Bhabha Practice

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