Disk Magnet and Compass Interactive

game

The black circle represents a ceramic disk magnet, with the north pole side up. The other item represents a compass; the red end of the needle is the end that would point towards Earth's North Magnetic Pole. Notice that the red end of the compass needle points away from the magnet. For historical reasons, what we call "Earth's North Magnetic Pole" is actually the south pole of Earth's magnetic field! Yikes!

Drag either the compass or the magnet around to explore the magnetic field around the magnet.