Compasses
and Earth's Magnetic Field
Survival Compass
This a survival compass. You'd use this in the woods for survival. It has a magnetic needle that always points north. You can adjust the bearing on it to the direction you want.
The Parts of a Compass
These are the different parts of a compass. There is the sighting mirror used for seeing the compass without looking straight down. There is the magnetic needle. This compass also shows the orienting lines and a magnifying glass.
Normal Compass
This is just a plain, standard compass. It does have a magnetic needle, but not a changeable bearing.
The different parts of a compass
How to use a compass and a map
This diagram explains how to use a compass when you have a scaled map. You use the straightedge to draw a line from one point to another. Then you line up the bearing with the cardinal directions on the map.
Using a compass
This diagram shows how to use a compass on a map. To use the compass on a map you would put the compass on the line going from where you are, to where you want to go. Then, you line up the bearing with the cardinal directions on the map. Then the journey arrow on the bearing lead the way.
Earth's Magnetic Field
This is Earth's Magnetic Field. The Magnetic south and north poles are not lined up with the geographic north and south poles. The Magnetic field goes out of the south pole and travels around in a sort-of semi-circle back in the north pole. The Earth's magnetic field protects us from the sun harmful rays and allows us to use compasses.
How Earth's magnetic field affects compasses
The red part of the compass always points North because of the magnetic field pulling the red part of the compass to the North pole
The different parts of a compass.
This video explains all the part of a compass.