Question

The angle of declination at a place is the angle

• A. Between the vertical plane and the geographical meridian
• B. Between the vertical plane and the magnetic meridian
• C. Between the geographical meridian and magnetic meridian
• D. Between the geographical meridian and horizontal plane

Answer 1

The correct option is C Between the geographical meridian and magnetic meridian

A freely suspended magnet always points in the North-South direction even in the absence of any other magnet. This suggests that the Earth itself behaves as a magnet which causes a freely suspended magnet (or magnetic needle) to point always in a particular direction: North and South.

The vertical plane passing through the axis of a freely suspended magnet is called magnetic meridian. The direction of Earth's magnetic field lies in the magnetic meridian and may not be horizontal. The vertical plane passing through the true geographical North and South (or geographical axis of Earth) is called geographical meridian. The angle between the magnetic meridian and the geographic meridian at a place is called declination at that place.