How to Build a Magnetic Compass

First you need to gather up all of the materials you will need. Below is a list of the following items needed to build this project:

• 2 needles
• 1 small strip of paper
• A glass jar
• A magnet
• Pencil
• Thread

Are you ready? Let’s get started. Slide magnet over the 2 needles several times in the same direction to magnetize them. Grab your small strip of paper and fold it in half. On the underside of the folds, tape both needles to each side of the paper (make sure both needles are facing the same direction). On the outside of the paper, write the letter “S” on the end which has the needle eye and the letter “N” on the end which has the needle point. Fasten the paper to the pencil with the thread. Place the pencil over the jar so that the paper is hanging inside the jar. What’s happening? Is the paper pointing in a northerly direction? It should be.

What how or why is this happening? Can you figure it out? It’s actually very simple. On Earth, there is a magnetic field between the North and South poles that is created by the Earth’s metallic core. As a result, a magnetic compass will react with the Earth’s poles and always point in the direction of the North pole.