Page 72 - DK Children's Encyclopedia

Compass SEE ALSO

▸ ▸ Ancient China
p.16

A compass is a simple instrument that helps people ▸ ▸ Inside Earth
find their way around by showing directions. It is usually p.135
round and contains a freely rotating, magnetic needle ▸ ▸ Magnets p.151

that always points north–south. This lets you work ▸ ▸ Maps p.155
out other directions. ▸ ▸ Navigation p.182

How to use a compass Directions
When using a compass, lay it flat and The main directions are
north (N), east (E), south (S),
then turn it until the north end of the and west (W). They are called
needle is above north on its base. Now the cardinal directions.
you know which direction is north, you
can find the other directions. Finer directions
Between the four cardinal
Direction hand directions are more precise
This hand can be turned to ones, such as northeast (NE)
mark the direction that you and southwest (SW).
want to travel toward.
Needle
The magnetic needle
Compass rose detects Earth’s magnetic
The base of the compass field and lines up with
shows all the different north–south. The end of the
directions and is known needle pointing to north is
as the compass rose. usually colored or marked.

A compass on a phone
shows which direction
the phone is pointing in.

Directions can
be written as
angles. For example,
southwest is 225º.

Walking compass 21st-century
A walking compass has compass
a see-through back so Many of today’s phones
that it can be used on contain a device called a
top of a map. This lets magnetometer. It detects
you work out where you the Earth’s magnetic field
are and which direction and lets you use your
you want to go in. phone as a compass.

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