Are the north and south ends of a magnet just like the Earths magnetic poles?

Question

The reason I ask is that I am wondering if the poles of a homopolar motor mimic that of the Earths? For instance, if a north side up magnet spins in an easterly fashion, is this also why our plant spins in the same direction?

Answer 1

the geographic north and south poles are not magnetic. it is the geomagnetic poles that are magnetic. the geomagnetic poles have slightly different locations then the geographic poles, and the locations changes time to time. right now the location is somewhere north of the yukons. :)

Answer 2

Yes and you can prove it yourself.  Get a decent magnet, two pins (like the kind that come with new shirts), a bowl of water, and a small leaf about the lenght of the pins.

Magentize the point of one pin by rubbing it on the magnet.  Magnetize the other pin by rubbing the other blunt end on the same part of the magnet.

Float your pins separately on the leaf in the bowl.  They should point in oppisite directions.

Since you magentized the pins with your magent and now they are pointign towards the earth's magentic poles you have proved that your everyday magnet is the same magnetisim as the earth's.

Answer 3

yes the poles are earths magnets

Answer 4

Pretty much yeah.

Answer 5

yea...

oppoosite sides=opposite charges

Answer 6

Yes the Earth magnetic field is similar to a bar magnet, except for the following exception. The North Pole of a compass points to south magnetic pole of the Earth (near the north geographic pole) and vise versa. We just call them the North/South magnetic poles because of where they are not what they are.

Anyway, it is still not certain how the magnetic field is generated. Some how the liquid Outer Core of the Earth, a fiery ball of highly viscous liquid Iron-Nickel alloy, develops electro-magnetic field. It is known that the solid Inner Core rotates a little bit faster then the Mantle, so you are right, differential rotation somehow creates the magnetic field, by generating motion and turbulence (a dynamo) in the Outer Core.

The science is called Magnetohydrodynamics, and the Earth's liquid core will soon be simulated by a spinning 26 ton ball of liquid sodium! A baby Earth.

Read "Building a Baby Earth to Test Its Magnetic Field by David Kestenbaum"