Dip Needle Compass vs. Normal Compass

AI Thread Summary
The dip needle compass differs from a normal compass due to the Earth's magnetic field, which is predominantly vertical, causing the dip needle to tilt downward rather than rotate horizontally. In northern regions, the vertical magnetic component is significantly stronger than the horizontal one, complicating compass design for tilted conditions. Ships utilize gimbaled compasses to maintain a level orientation despite tilting. Dip needle compasses serve primarily as instruments for studying and demonstrating the Earth's magnetic field, and while they can help measure latitude, a sextant is often more practical for that purpose. Understanding these differences enhances the appreciation of compass functionality in various applications.
qomoco
Messages
11
Reaction score
0
Why does one "dips" down and the other rotates?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
I know what it looks like, I'm wondering "why"
 
Why does it dip?
Because the magnetic field of the Earth is mostly vertical, it goes out of one pole and into the other. For typical northern city the vertical component is about 4-5x larger than the horizontal, which is a real pain if you are trying to design a compass that can be used when tilted.
- that's why ships compasses are gimbaled to always float level when the ships tips

Why you would own one?
Mainly as an instrument to investigate/demonstrate the Earth's field. You could use it to measure your latitude -although a sextant is easier.
 

Thread 'Struggling to understand the concept of this question (ice cube in water optics question)'

TL;DR Summary: I came across this question from a Sri Lankan A-level textbook. Question - An ice cube with a length of 10 cm is immersed in water at 0 °C. An observer observes the ice cube from the water, and it seems to be 7.75 cm long. If the refractive index of water is 4/3, find the height of the ice cube immersed in the water. I could not understand how the apparent height of the ice cube in the water depends on the height of the ice cube immersed in the water. Does anyone have an...
View full post »
Thread 'Variable mass system : water sprayed into a moving container'

Thread 'Variable mass system : water sprayed into a moving container'

Starting with the mass considerations #m(t)# is mass of water #M_{c}# mass of container and #M(t)# mass of total system $$M(t) = M_{C} + m(t)$$ $$\Rightarrow \frac{dM(t)}{dt} = \frac{dm(t)}{dt}$$ $$P_i = Mv + u \, dm$$ $$P_f = (M + dm)(v + dv)$$ $$\Delta P = M \, dv + (v - u) \, dm$$ $$F = \frac{dP}{dt} = M \frac{dv}{dt} + (v - u) \frac{dm}{dt}$$ $$F = u \frac{dm}{dt} = \rho A u^2$$ from conservation of momentum , the cannon recoils with the same force which it applies. $$\quad \frac{dm}{dt}...
View full post »

Similar threads

Magnetic field pointing into a normal magnetized compass needle
Replies
16
Views
1K
A confused Compass Needle between two solenoids
Replies
31
Views
2K
What direction does a compass point to in a magnetic field?
Replies
5
Views
5K
B Can a Compass Needle be Magnetized to Any Horizontal Direction?
Replies
7
Views
2K
Battery alone deflects compass needle?
Replies
14
Views
5K
Distance of compass to wire based on magnetic field strength
Replies
3
Views
3K
Direction of Compass Needle near a Solenoid
Replies
10
Views
7K
Why do compasses always point in the wrong direction?
Replies
6
Views
904
Moment of Inertia Compass Needle
Replies
18
Views
4K
Compass needle, magnetic field and current
Replies
8
Views
2K

Hot Threads

Recent Insights

Back
Top