Question

What happens to the needle of the compass as you complete the circle and move it back to the original side of the bar magnet?

A) The needle remains aligned in the same direction as the bar magnet.
B) The needle flips its direction.
C) The needle vibrates rapidly.
D) The needle becomes detached from the compass.

Answer 1

The needle of the compass will flip its direction when moved around and back to the original side of a bar magnet because it aligns with the magnetic field lines, causing the opposite pole of the compass needle to face the nearest pole of the bar magnet.

Step-by-step explanation:

When you move a compass needle around and back to the original side of a bar magnet, the needle of the compass will flip its direction. This is because the compass needle is a small magnet itself and aligns according to the magnetic field lines of the bar magnet. So, when the needle is brought back to the original side but on the opposite end of the bar magnet, the opposite pole of the compass needle will now be facing the pole of the bar magnet it is closest to.

For example, if you start near the north pole of a bar magnet, the south pole of the compass needle aligns with the north pole of the magnet. As you move the compass needle around to the other side, keeping the same orientation, the north pole of the compass will be nearest to the south pole of the bar magnet, causing the needle to flip and the south pole of the compass needle to now point away from the bar magnet's south pole.