Earth's magnetic field
What Earth's magnetic field means in Physics GCSE, as defined for AQA, OCR.
Definitions of Earth's magnetic field
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Reference: OCR
The field the Earth behaves as though it has, which a plotting compass held horizontally aligns with, so its needle points roughly north–south.
The field the Earth generates, produced by motion in its liquid iron and nickel core, which a compass away from other magnets lines up with.
Topics that use Earth's magnetic field
- Magnetic fields (AQA GCSE)
- Magnets and magnetic fields (OCR GCSE)
Related terms
- always attraction
- attraction and repulsion
- Combining fields of multiple turns
- Dipping compass and vertical field component
- direction of field lines
- Evidence for a magnetic core
- Field around a bar magnet
- field around a magnet
Using Earth's magnetic field in the exam
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