Term used in magnetism for grade 9

[songoku]

What is the name given to the path along which a free north pole end of a magnet would point?
Name of a "path"? The name is magnetic field line? north pole?

 

[gneill]

What do you mean by "a free north pole end of a magnet"? The north pole of a magnet that's free to rotate in any direction?

If that is the case, then I'm not aware of any specific name for this "path". The magnet will tend to align itself so as to minimize the potential energy in the local magnetic field (so that the net torque acting on the magnet is zero).

 

[songoku]

What do you mean by "a free north pole end of a magnet"? The north pole of a magnet that's free to rotate in any direction?

Not sure. I got this question from 9 grader and the girl showed me the photo of the question. The full wording is exactly as I wrote.

I have tried googling but to no avail

 

[Delta2]

I think the exercise wants to name the path that the magnet will align itself in the presence of the magnetic field of the earth. It is called Meridian, the abstract line that connect the north pole to the south pole of the Earth and all the points of a given meridian have the same longitude.

 

[songoku]

Thanks for your help gneill and delta