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The Compass Experiments - Level 1

EXPERIMENT 7

Equipment:

• Steel knitting needle or nail
• 12" wood rod
• 24" thread

Using a horseshoe magnet, bar magnet, or any other kind of magnet - stroke the needle (nail) from the center to one end. Reverse both needle (nail) and magnet and stroke from center to opposite end. Place needle (nail) in loop of thread and suspend from rod. (See drawing below). Needle will come to rest with one end pointing to the magnetic north.

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From Raytheon Aviation Educational Materials

Updated: March 12, 2004