Regarding the Earth's magnetic field

AI Thread Summary
The Earth's magnetic field is relatively weak, primarily affecting compasses and providing protection from charged particles in space. While it influences navigation in birds, its strength is insufficient to impact everyday objects significantly. Some discussions suggest that older TVs could show effects from magnetic fields, but modern technology has improved manufacturing tolerances, minimizing such issues. The conversation touches on the potential for harnessing magnetic energy, though practical methods beyond moving conductors are limited. Overall, the Earth's magnetic field plays a crucial role in navigation and protection but has minimal direct effects on most objects.
baryon
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Why doesn't the mag. field affect objects on Earth? Is it just too far away or not powerful enough or what? Also, is there any way to harness its energy other than moving a huge conductor though it? Wouldn't it have a frequency? Anyone know this?
 
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Have you never used a magnetic compass? The magnetic field is relatively weak, so it isn't useful for much beyond that.
 
I would say that the magnetic field does have quite an effect on compasses. It makes the needle point north and south.
 
Correct. And there are far larger effects as in protecting us from extraterrestial charged particles that would otherwise render us incabable of living. In addition, although it doesn't really matter to me, there is very stong evidence to support the theory that birds (particularly homing pigeons) navigate by means of a ferrous membrane just above their beaks that allows them to follow magnetic field lines. That's something that Moonbear would probably be able to tune you in on; I don't really know any of the details.
 
Take a tv (not lcd) and turn it on its side. what you see is the result of the magnetic field.
 
Dirty D said:
Take a tv (not lcd) and turn it on its side. what you see is the result of the magnetic field.
What? Are you saying if I turn my TV on its side, I will see some funny pattern?
 
That must be something with modern TV's, but I'm not going to bother trying it now. Back in the 70's, when I spent a good part of my time horizontally, I used to turn the TV on it's side so it would look right-side-up to me. The picture was still fine. What are you talking about?
 
Dirty D said:
Take a tv (not lcd) and turn it on its side. what you see is the result of the magnetic field.
Um, no. Have you ever actually tried this (just to make sure, I just did)? The Earth's magnetic field is orders of magnitude too weak to affect a tv.
 
Not necessarily.
Depends on how good the drive coil shadow mask registration for the pic tube in the color tv is.
Manufacturing has gotten better tolerances.
Generally it shows up as color tint changes in an object moving acrost the screen. Not image distortion.

In the 50's they had cancelation magnets in the cabinet that needed adjustment depending on the room location.
 

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