HOME-MADE Compass?

Question

is there anyway i can EASILY make a home -made compass.

so does the sun always rise in the east and sets in the west - is this an accurate way or not?

Answer 1

On a sunny day, take a straight piece of wood, and push it into the ground, making sure that the section sticking out is vertical.  It should be on a level piece of ground as well.

Mark the spot where the top of the stick's shadow is.  Sometime later (say, a couple of hours), mark the new position of the end of the shadow.

Now draw a straight line from one mark to the other.  This line will lie due east-west (and you can tell which, by the movement of the sun).  Even though the sun doesn't set exactly in the west (except at the equinoxes), this method still gives you an east-west line.

This method is as accurate as you are able to plot precisely where the end of the shadow is.  You might tie a cross- piece  onto the stick, and mark where the centre of the cross is on the shadow, to get a more accurate plot.  Even on a cloudy day, it may be possible to mark the position of the shadow; if you place a sheet of white paper on the ground.

Edit:

Bear in mind, this method gives you true north; not magnertic north that a compass needle points to.

Answer 2

Take a needle. Put it in a cork. then take a metal bowl filled with hot or cold water i forgot. And set the cork and needle in the water. The needle tip should be clear through the cork so that it sticks out the other end. Then when the needle comes still, It will be facing north. Search it on google.