Explain how freely suspended magnets align with Earth's magnetic field to indicate direction, and demonstrate how to magnetize iron.
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Historical note on Matsya-yantra.
How suspended magnets align North-South due to Earth.
If you tie a thread to the middle of a bar magnet and let it hang freely, it will eventually stop spinning and come to rest in a specific direction: North-South.
Diagram of a standard compass.
A magnetic compass uses a freely rotating magnetized needle that aligns with the Earth's magnetic field to help travelers find directions.
Explaining the rubbing method to magnetize an iron needle.
Did you know that you can create your own magnet using a simple piece of iron? Let's turn an ordinary iron sewing needle into a working magnet.
Visual of the rubbing motion.
Always use the same pole of the magnet and stroke the iron in a single direction. Rubbing back and forth destroys the magnetizing effect.
Order the steps to make a compass.
Drag the steps into the correct sequence to build your own floating magnetic compass.