JETS Hands-On!

For the January 2006 hands-on activity, students will create their own simple compass, be able to explain how a compass works, understand that the Earth's magnetic field has both horizontal and vertical components, and learn more about cardinal directions.

Engineers put careful thought into designing compasses that are accurate, precise, durable and inexpensive. To accomplish this, they must thoroughly understand the orientation and strength of the Earth's magnetic field. Scientific concepts such as magnetic declination are important to engineers who design digital compasses that compensate for this effect. To view the activity, click here.