magnetic field of the Earth


The magnetic field (see magnetism) that surrounds and permeates the Earth. It is the presence of this field that causes compass needles to line up in a north-south direction. The origin of the Earth's magnetic field is poorly understood at the present time.

Words Nearby magnetic field of the Earth

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.