Question

When a magnet is suspended freely, it stays in north-south direction. Explain why this happens so?

Answer 1

Explanation

1. A magnet stays in the north-south direction when it is suspended freely.
2. A freely suspended magnet points north-south because the earth functions like a magnet, with the South Pole in the geographical north and the North Pole in the geographical south.
3. The opposite poles of a magnet attract each other and because the earth acts as a massive magnet so while we drop a magnet freely on the earth the geographical north pole draws the south pole of the magnet and the geographical south pole draws the North pole of the magnet and hence, a freely suspended magnet usually aligns itself in the north-south path of the earth.