Explain how freely suspended magnets align with Earth's magnetic field to indicate direction, and demonstrate how to magnetize iron.
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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.
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.
Historical note on Matsya-yantra.
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.