Question

Imagine hanging a bunch of bar magnets (horizontally) from different parts of the ceiling (spreading them out), free to rotate.

a. After the magnets have stopped rotating, in what directions do you think the magnets will be pointing?

b. Start with one of the strong (stacked) magnets and place them either on the floor or on the table/textbook (why?). Obtain a “bunch” of small compasses and array them around the magnet and see in which direction they point. Use the diagram below to sketch the pattern and connect the patterns in a way similar to the way that you did with the electric field.

c. Place the magnaprobe near a bar magnet. Observe the direction of the suspended compass in different positions. Draw a 3D diagram if you can. Figure out a way to do this – the magnet obviously can’t be on the table or even on the floor.

d. Place compasses far away from any known magnets (including other compasses). Observe the direction that the compasses point. How do your observations compare to how the magnaprobe behaves? Be sure to note that the magnaprobe has two different colors. Do the two ends of the magnaprobe behave the same or differently?

Answer 1

a) after stops rotating the magnets will be oriented in north-south direction.

b) the pattern will be as following.

( note: image is taken from internet)

c) the different orientations of the magnaprobe when placed ear the magnet will be like this.

d) the compass needle will show the same directions as the magnaprobe does.

But a magnaprobe can rotate in any direction (in x,y,z axes) whereas the compass can rotate in the plane of the table only( x-y plane)