If you were to hold the compass sideways, however, the compass.

The Earth has a magnetic field that, like a magnet, goes from the north pole to the south pole. These lines around the magnet represent the path of an imaginary independent north pole. The geographic pole is defined by the spinning of the earth and it is in the same spot all the time.

Most compasses point towards Earth’s north magnetic pole, which is usually in a different place to the north geographic pole. A compass needle rests freely in its casing so it can maneuver itself. A small force will be experienced when a small north magnetic pole is placed in the magnetic field. The needle starts spinning uncontrollably. The ever-changing magnetic poles Most compasses point towards Earth's north magnetic pole, which is usually in a different place to the north geographic pole. In What Direction Will The Compass Needle Tend To Rotate?

Now, on to your question…if you were standing exactly on top of the magnetic north pole, your compass would point nowhere in particular since the place it is used to pointing to is at your feet! Since it wants to point in the direction of the field lines, if you were right on top of the north magnetic pole, it would try to point straight down. At the north pole, for example, if you hold the compass horizontally the needle which is supposed to point north will point south, toward the north magnetic pole. If you started it spinning, it would continue spinning until friction slowed and stopped it. All compasses point north regardless of where you are on Earth. If your compass is at the geomagnetic north pole, which is somewhere in northern Canada, it wants to point straight down.

Sincerely, Mrs. LeBlanc's Fifth Grade Class East Valley Elementary School Fernley, Nevada What happens to the compass when the explorer finally reaches the North Pole? Dear Mr. O'Hara, We've been studying magnetism in fifth grade. If you wanted to see how a compass would behave at the north pole, you could get a good strong bar magnet and hold it vertically, then place your compass directly over the north pole end of the magnet. You also asked about the magnetic and geographic poles. Earth's Poles Will Eventually Flip, So What Then? The earth's magnetic field can be approximated by that of a giant bar magnet imbedded in the earth vaguely in a north-south direction. Since it is constrained to be level it will wander aimlessly around. ‘Grid North’ is north as shown on 2D maps. spin around in confusion as you suggest. It's also the source of the aurora borealis, the dramatic lights that appear when solar radiation bounces off the Earth's magnetic field.