*the earth's magnetic field

• Lodestone


  is a rock found abt 4 000 years ago by a greek shepherd, Magnes after looking after his sheep and noticing the iron nails stuck to the rock.

  it contains a substance later named magnetite, which is a naturally occurring magnet as both the greek and chinese started to investigate magnetic properties
• Magnetic compass


  the chinese discovered that a small needle of lodestone could float on water and always turned to point in the same direction.

  the observation that one end of the needle pointed north and the other end pointed south was the invention of the magnetic compass
• Magnetic north

  where the compass needle pointed to a position close to earth's north pole but not exactly to geographic north pole.

  
  

  this is the magnetic north which moves slowly and is currently in the artic ocean, north of alaska
• The invention of a compass is very important

  it allowed ppl to navigate in places such as oceans and deserts, with less chance of getting lost and knowing what direction you're facing

  even tdy with satnav, ships and aeroplanes still use magnetic compasses satnavs don't use the earth's magnetic field

  satnavs don't use the earth's magnetic field
• the earth's magnetic field is also used to navigate over long distances by some animals

  
  

  xoxo
• the north pole of earth is actually a magnetic south pole, the south pole is the north pole
• Magnetic poles


  when magnetic north is used (in context of the earth and navigation) means the magnetic pole that is close to the geographic north pole

  the same way magnetic south is the magnetic pole that is close to the geographic south pole

  the geo north n south poles are parts of the earth through which the spin axis (the imaginery line which the earth spins) passes
• Natural light displays


  the earth's magnetic field causes the natural appearance of lights visible in the night's sky close to north and south poles.

  these are caused by particles coming from the sun arriving into stronger parts of the earths magnetic field

  xoxo