What is difference between magnetic and geographic north?

Question

if the sun sets from east to west, is north magnetic, or geographic?

I'm supposed to know this huh

and if you know, which way do people recommend your head to point when you sleep?

thanks!

Answer 1

Try wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnetic_no...

Answer 2

go to www.jmm.appstate.edu/~goodmanj/ 4401/notes/magnets/mnvsgn.html

Answer 3

Geographic north is the point where the axis of the earth comes through the surface - standing on it, all points on earth are south and you aren't going around anything, just pivoting in place.

  Magnetic north is where the compasses point and it is close to but not identical to the axis point.  It moves because the magnetic field of earth is created by the fluid core and that shifts over time.

  Because it is somewhat different, people who use compasses to navigate have to refer to maps or tables to find out the deviation east or west of the compass from the ground directions.  [Compasses are also affected by mountains, etc., leading to another correction.]

Answer 4

There are three kinds of Norths: True North, Grid North and Magnetic North. True North or the geographical north is the direction of the North Pole given at a specific place. This is the North that is directed by Polaris or North Star, thus some also refer to it as the celestial north. Grid North is the North that we see on geographic maps, Atlases and globes which is indicated by grids. Magnetic north is the one which the navigational compass points to. There is a slight deflection between the three.