Question

In which direction would a compass needle free to move in a vertical plane point to if located right on the geomagnetic north pole?

Answer 1

Given:

A compass needle is kept at the Geo-magnetic North Pole.

To find:

Allignment of the compass needle in horizontal and vertical planes

Calculation:

If the compass is free to move along the vertical plane, it will align itself along the direction of Earth's Magnetic Field and will become totally vertical.

That means Angle of Dip becomes 90°.

$\boxed{ \red{ \bold{\angle \delta = {90}^{ \circ} }}}$

If the compass is free to move along the horizontal plane , it will remain in any position at which it is physically kept. This is because the horizontal Magnetic Field Intensity is zero.

So, final answer:

In vertical plane , compass will align vertically.