Question

A bar magnet, its magnetic field lines, and multiple compasses that show the direction of the magnetic field are all shown below.



If a compass were placed at the spot labeled X, what would be its orientation?
A.

B.

C.

D.

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Answer 1

I can’t see the diagram — could you upload the picture or describe where X is relative to the bar magnet (e.g. above the north pole, between the poles, to the right of the south pole, etc.)?

Rules you can use to pick the correct choice:
- A compass needle aligns tangent to the magnetic field line at that point.
- The needle’s north-seeking end points in the direction of the local magnetic field (outside a bar magnet the field goes from the magnet’s north pole toward its south pole).
- So at X: find the nearby field line, draw the tangent there, and point the needle’s north end along that tangent in the direction from the magnet’s north pole toward its south pole.

If you tell me where X is or upload the image, I’ll pick A–D for you.