Question

During an Earthquake, the power goes out in LA county. You are trying to get home which is located directly North of where you currently are. You don’t know exactly how to get there, but you have a compass in your pocket. A friend is with you, but doesn’t know how a compass works and until they understand they are unwilling to follow you. Describe to your friend how a compass works and how you know which direction North is.

Answer 1

Step-by-step explanation:

To determine which direction is North, we simply need to observe where the compass needle is pointing. The end marked with "N" always points towards the Earth's North Magnetic Pole. So, if we align the compass properly and make sure it is not influenced by any nearby magnetic objects like metal or electronic devices, we can rely on the direction the compass needle is pointing to find North.

To find our way home, we need to know where North is in relation to our current location. We can do this by observing the compass needle and seeing which direction it points. If the needle points directly to our left, it means North is to the left of us. If it points directly to our right, North is to the right. If it points straight ahead, North is straight ahead. By continuously checking the compass and adjusting our course accordingly, we can navigate in the direction of North and make our way home.

I hope this explanation helps you understand how a compass works and why it's important for navigation. With the compass, we can find our way even when landmarks or familiar surroundings are not visible.