Why is the earth's magnetic north pole really a magnetic south pole?

Answer 1

The north pole of a magnet is defined as that pole which is attracted to the Earth's magnetic pole. Since opposite poles attract that would, indeed, make the Earth's Northern hemisphere pole a magnetic south pole.

Another Answer

Let's start by sorting out the terminology. 'Magnetic North' is a location, so-called, to distinguish it from 'True North'. It is not the magnetic polarity of that location. Magnetic North is not a fixed location, but is always moving relative to Magnetic North which is located at the earth's axis.

A freely-suspended magnet, when it comes to rest, essentially points towards Magnetic North (it actually lies along the lines of magnetic flux that join Magnetic North and Magnetic South). For this reason, that end of a magnet (and that of a compass needle) was originally called its 'North-seeking' pole. Over time, we have dropped the word, 'seeking', and it's now simply called its 'north pole' and, by common agreement, this is also considered to be its magnetic polarity.

So, if the 'north' pole of a magnet points towards the location we call 'Magnetic North', then the magnetic polarity of that location is a south pole. This is because unlike poles attract.

So, to answer the question, the south magnetic pole of the earth is located (deep within the earth) below the located we call 'Magnetic North' in Canada.

Why people find this so confusing can only be put down to poor teachers!

Read more: Where_is_the_south_magnetic_pole_of_the_earth

Answer 2

Good question.

Historically, magnetic polarity was described in terms of a magnet's behavior when suspended from a string, or placed upon a float in bowl of water. If you suspend a bar magnet from a string, for example, one end will eventually point in a northerly direction, the other, toward the south. This is due to the interaction between the suspended magnet and earth's magnetic field. This is also the mechanism by which magnetic compasses work.

The pole of the magnet that points toward the geographic north can be described as the "north seeking pole" of the bar magnet, and the other end, the "south seeking pole." Over time, people have contracted and condensed these phrases and refer to the poles as "north poles" and "south poles" respectively. What is important to remember is that we are talking about polarity here, nothing else.

Let's suppose, now, that you have two bar magnets, and let's further suppose that you (or somebody else) has marked the poles on those magnets with paint or ink to identify the north and south seeking poles.

If you play with these magnets for just a few minutes, you will quickly discover two rules with regard to magnetic attraction and repulsion. Like poles repel. Unlike poles attract. Thus, if you bring the north-seeking poles of the two magnets together, they will repel. If you bring the north-seeking pole of one magnet to the south-seeking pole of the other, they will attract and stick together.

Knowing this, let's go back to the bar magnet suspended by a string. The only way the "north seeking" end of the bar magnet would be attracted toward the northerly direction of the earth is if the "north" magnetic pole of the earth actually has a south-seeking polarity (remember, UN-alike poles attract.)

Thus, the north magnetic pole of the earth actually has a south-seeking polarity.

All of this really does make sense, but confusion reigns because the same phrase, "north pole" is used to represent more than one idea. "North pole" can mean geographic north, which lies on the axis on which the earth spins, it refer to the place in the northern hemisphere from which the earth's lines of magnetic flux emerge, or it can refer to the magnetic polarity of a magnet.

Additional Comment

It might help if people understood that 'Magnetic North' and 'Magnetic South' are locations, not magnetic polarities.

Answer 3

Quite simple, really: The part of the compass needle called "north" points north. Since opposite poles attract each other, it follows that that must be the magnetic South Pole of the Earth!

Traditionally this has been called the "magnetic north pole", but this older definition is inconsistent.

It should be noted that the magnetic south pole is not exactly at the geographic north pole; it is only approximate.

This answer is only partially correct. 'Magnetic North' is a location (albeit one that moves relative to True North) and not the the magnetic polarity of that location, which is south. So there is no inconsistency.

Answer 4

The two poles are each controlled by different but related phenomena. The true north is the axis of the spinning earth, while the magnetic pole is defined by the magnetic field created by the churning core of the earth.