Question

A compass uses the directive property of a magnet. Choose the correct option.
A) True.
B) False.

Answer 1

Hint: A compass works on that property of a magnet which allows it to align itself freely along the direction of the geographical north-south when placed on a horizontal surface. The needle inside the compass which is set on a pivot rotates based on this property of the magnet and thus acts as a small magnet.

Complete step by step answer:
Any magnet has two poles namely the south pole and the north pole and will generate a magnetic field around it. The magnet will point in the north-south direction when it is suspended freely in the air with the help of a string. The north pole will point in the north direction while the south pole points in the south direction. This property of the magnet is referred to as its directive property.
The working of the compass is based on the above-mentioned directive property of a magnet. The movement or rotation of the compass needle will depend on the direction of the magnetic field at that particular position.

Therefore, the given statement is true and the correct option is A.

Additional information:
A compass consists of a needle which is placed on a pin in the middle. This needle is allowed to move freely. The scale inside the compass shows the degree of rotation of the needle ranging from $0^\circ $ to $360^\circ $. The directions north, north-east, north-west, south, south-east, south-west, east and west are also marked. The figure of the compass is given below.

Note:
The geographic north and geographic south poles lie right next to the magnetic north and south poles of the earth. Over time the magnetic poles continuously change and get reversed. It was discovered that the magnetic poles reverse after every hundred years. However, the working of a compass is not affected significantly by this shift in the poles.