Question

Compasses are designed so that they point to earth's magnetic north. What are some things that would prevent a compass from pointing to earth's magnetic north pole? Select all the correct answers.

A being in a remote forest far from cities

B a non magnetic compass needle

C high altitude

D a strong interfering magnetic field

E dead compass batteries

F being in sealed wooden box

Answer 1

The things that would prevent a compass from pointing to Earth's magnetic north pole include:

B. a non magnetic compass needle - If the needle is not magnetic, it will not align with the magnetic field.

D. a strong interfering magnetic field - A strong magnetic field from nearby sources can distort the compass reading.

E. dead compass batteries - Most compasses do not use batteries, but if they are part of a digital or electronic compass, dead batteries would indeed prevent it from functioning correctly.

A. being in a remote forest far from cities, C. high altitude, and F. being in a sealed wooden box do not fundamentally affect the ability of a compass to point to magnetic north, as their operation is based on magnetic fields rather than external conditions like location or altitude.

So the correct answers are: **B, D, and E.**