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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 AnswerLet'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!
The Earth's magnetic north pole is actually a magnetic south pole because it attracts the north-seeking needle of a compass. This can be a bit confusing based on traditional naming conventions, but it's a result of how magnets interact and the polarity of the Earth's magnetic field.
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.
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.
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Is the magnetic pole in the northern hemisphere a south pole?
If you (as is practise) call the end of a magnet that points north when suspended freely the "North" pole, then Yes, the place in Canada where the "Magnetic North pole" is is really magnetically a South pole (has the same magnetic moment as the end of the bar magnet that points south). Confusing enough?
What are the polarity of earth's north and south poles?
The Earth's North Pole is a magnetic south pole and the South Pole is a magnetic north pole. This means that the North Pole of a compass needle points towards the Earth's magnetic South Pole, and vice versa.
Does the magnetic field go from north to south or south to north?
The magnetic field lines go from the north pole to the south pole outside the magnet and from the south pole to the north pole inside the magnet.
What will be the position of the freely suspended magnet in a region over the earths magnetic pole?
The freely suspended magnet will align itself vertically, with its north pole pointing directly downward towards the Earth's magnetic pole. This is because the magnetic field lines are vertical at the magnetic poles.
Why does the north end of a compass point north?
It doesn't.But let's start with a little background. 'True North' and 'True South' are fixed locations that coincide with the earth's axis of rotation. The earth's magnetic field exists between 'Magnetic North' and 'Magnetic South', so-called to distinguish these locations from 'True North' and 'True South'. The locations of 'Magnetic North' and 'Magnetic South' are always moving relative to the positions of 'True North' and 'True South'.It's important to understand that 'Magnetic North' and 'Magnetic South' are locations, and not the magnetic polarities of these locations!The ends of a compass needle are named after the directions in which they point. Originally, they were called the 'north-seeking pole' and the 'south-seeking pole' respectively, because those are the directions in which they roughly pointed. Actually, they point to Magnetic North and Magnetic South, not True North or True South. By convention, these names (these days, shortened to 'north' and 'south') also define the magnetic polarities of the compass needle.Because 'opposite poles attract', the magnetic polarity of Magnetic North must be a south pole in order to attract the north pole of a compass needle. And, of course, the magnetic polarity of Magnetic South must be a north pole in order to attract the south pole of a compass needle.
Switch in direction of earths magnetic north and south poles?
Magnetic Reversal
Why do scientists think that earths' magnetic field has not always pointed north?
Every 100,000 years or so, the Earths magnetic field shifts direction. North becomes south, south becomes north.
Can the earths magnetic field move?
Yes it can reverse from North to South
What is the switch in directions of earths magnetic north and south pole?
idontknow
Is the magnetic pole near the Earths true North Pole a magnetic south pole or a magnetic north pole?
Earths geographic North Pole is also currently a magnetic north pole. This is however not always the case because over geological time scales the Earth's magnetic poles flip as a result of changes of flow in Earth's molten core which produces Earth's magnetic field.
Where is the Earths magnetic field at its strongest?
The Earth's magnetic field is strongest at the North and South magnetic poles, which are not the same as the geographic North and South poles. The magnetic field strength varies at different locations on the Earth's surface.
At which location is earths magnetic field the strongest?
Earth's magnetic field is strongest at the magnetic North Pole and the magnetic South Pole.
What do scientist not know about earths magnetic field?
When the north pole becomes the south pole.
What magnet use in the compass?
non the compass uses the earths magnetic field that is why the north pole and south pole is the most important directions because the north and south pole have the most highest magnetic feilds
Lines of magnetic force generated by the fluid motions of earths core result in the formation?
North and South poles
The lines of magnetic force generated by the fluid motions of the earths core result in the formation of what?
the North Pole and the South Pole
What are the earths colorful bands of glowing light that are given off when solar flames hit the earths atmosphere over the magnetic north and south poles?
Aurora Borealis
