magnetic pole

noun

1. the region of a magnet toward which the lines of magnetic induction converge south pole or from which the lines of induction diverge north pole.
2. either of the two points on the earth's surface where the dipping needle of a compass stands vertical, one in the Arctic, the other in the Antarctic.

magnetic pole

noun

1. either of two regions in a magnet where the magnetic induction is concentrated
2. either of two variable points on the earth's surface towards which a magnetic needle points, where the lines of force of the earth's magnetic field are vertical

magnetic pole

1. Either of two regions of a magnet, designated north and south, where the magnetic field is strongest. Electromagnetic interactions cause the north poles of magnets to be attracted to the south poles of other magnets, and conversely. The north pole of a magnet is the pole out of which magnetic lines of force point, while the south pole is the pole into which they point. The Earth's geomagnetic “north” and “south” poles are, in fact, magnetically the opposite of what their names suggest; this is why the north end of a compass needle is attracted to the geomagnetic “north” pole.
2. See Note at magnetismSee also magnetic
3. Either of two regions of the Earth's surface at which magnetic lines of force are perpendicular to the Earth's surface. The Earth's magnetic poles are close to, but not identical with, both its geographic poles (the North and South Poles) and its geomagnetic poles .
4. See Note at magnetic reversal

magnetic pole

1. The spot on the Earth toward which a compass needle will point.

Notes

The variation between magnetic north and “true” north is usually shown on navigation maps as the “angle of declination.”

The north magnetic pole is not located exactly at the geographic North Pole . Therefore, depending on where a compass is, its needle may not point exactly north.

Word History and Origins

Origin of magnetic pole¹

First recorded in 1695–1705

Example Sentences

In a normal material, particles would come to a consensus below a certain temperature, with the magnetic poles lining up in either the same direction or in alternating directions.

From Science News

Boston College is offering something similar, called “True North” — a reference to the geographic North Pole, rather than the magnetic pole of a compass — during orientation this summer, for the first time, to new students and their parents.

From Washington Post

Pulsars emit beams of X-rays from two hot spots associated with the magnetic poles of the pulsar.

From Science News

Inside that magnet, the orientation of the muons’ magnetic poles wobbled, or precessed.

From Science News

The thing about magnetic pole excursions and flips is that they can happen at literally any time, although they are infrequent.

From Popular-Science

The special feature of their work was to be magnetic observations in the vicinity of the South Magnetic Pole.

From Project Gutenberg

Also, it gave us some vague idea as to the direction in which lay the South Magnetic Pole.

From Project Gutenberg

How far for the other forty-nine minutes which were needed for a vertical dip and the South Magnetic Pole?

From Project Gutenberg

In the beginning of the year 1777 the north magnetic pole was in 76 deg.

From Project Gutenberg

Sir John Ross made the second expedition at his own expense and found the Northern magnetic pole.

From Project Gutenberg