Making a mini compass at home is not a big problem. The main thing is to make sure that the magnet, which plays the role of the arrow, rotates with minimal friction. Typically, a magnetic needle is mounted on a point, which is essentially a bearing that provides minimal friction when turning the needle. Another option could be a magnetic needle floating on the surface of the water. This is exactly the option that was used by the author. Of course, for one-time use, you can limit yourself to a piece of foam pierced with a pin or a piece of an unbent paper clip. But for regular use, you can make something more fundamental, however, also at minimal cost.
Round elements are used as body elements. plastic lids from dairy products, with a diameter of 31 and 28 mm, the height of the lids is 10 mm. The lids fit perfectly into each other, forming halves of the body.
Actually, the role of the magnetic needle in the device is a ferrite magnet in the shape of a 10x4x4 mm parallelepiped; in addition, you will need two short strips of 10 x 4 mm tin. The magnet was taken from an old reed keypad. For reliable fastening in the case, a holder is cut out of packaging plastic, packaging scraps are selected that have a groove of the required width for installing a magnet.
Tin plates are bent in the manner shown in the photo, so that they are securely magnetized to the ends of the magnet.
In the lid of a smaller diameter we install one half of the holder, cut to fit.
Place the magnet.
Place the top half of the holder.
Using Moment glue we connect the halves of the body.
Now, using another compass, we determine the poles of the magnet and apply the appropriate markings.
Floating on the surface of the water, the compass copes with its tasks quite well.
A group of compasses can demonstrate the domain structure of a ferromagnet.
Summarize
Of course, this design is not a full-fledged compass; its main purpose is to demonstrate the behavior of a magnet in an external magnetic field, to demonstrate. Naturally, if it is possible to demonstrate this more easily using compasses, but if you don’t have a large number of compasses, this option will do. Author - Denev.
Discuss the article HOW TO MAKE A COMPASS WITH YOUR OWN HANDS
It happens that you need to know exactly which side is south and which is north. At home this can be useful when setting up the antenna, but for travelers without such knowledge, especially in conditions wildlife, is not possible at all. Of course, the easiest way is to use a regular compass. What to do if it is not at hand? How to make a compass at home and outdoors? It turns out it's very simple. You won't need special devices- only improvised materials that every home has, or can be easily obtained in the forest.
at home
1. In order to make an indispensable tourist attribute, you need a needle, a small piece of foam rubber and a mug of water. To begin with, you should take foam rubber, approximately 3x3 centimeters. We will need it so that the needle floats on the water and does not sink. We pierce the foam rubber with a needle in the center and place simple design in a mug of water.
2. In order for it to become a real compass, it remains to magnetize one tip of the needle. Finding a magnet in an apartment is very easy. It is in the headset, holding the doors or in the speakers of the music center. To demagnetize the needle, just bring one of its tips to gas burner and hold over the fire for 20 seconds. Thus, the magnetized tip of the needle will show us north, the demagnetized tip will tell us where south is. We place our structure in the water again.
3. To understand where north is and where south is, stand facing the direction of the needle. Remember which window the sun shines through in the morning (this will be the east), respectively, the sun sets in the opposite direction - this will be the west. Now stand along the needle so that the east is on the left and the west is on the right. This will put you facing south and your back to north.
How to make a compass in nature
Sometimes when hiking, for example in the forest, it is important to know the exact direction of the path so as not to get lost. It turns out that it is also easy to understand where is north and where is south, using available means. Let's look at two options for how to create your own compass in extreme conditions.
1. For the first option you need to find something metal. Any nail, wire or needle will do. To magnetize our arrow, just rub it on your hair. Next, the nails need to be tied to a thread or fishing line and hung on a static surface (for example, a tree branch). It is important that the length of the thread is at least 40 centimeters, otherwise the result will be inaccurate. Now the arrow will accurately point with its magnetized end to the north. You already know how to determine other directions.
2. For the second option you need a bowl of water. Magnetize one end of the arrow and place it in a bowl, placing it on a piece of bark. The arrow will definitely tell you where north is.
So now you know how to make a compass in any situation. This procedure will not take much time even in conditions modern apartment, even in a dense forest. All you have to do is show a little ingenuity and find suitable materials, create a simple device with your own hands, and you will always know exactly in which direction you should move. Now you are not afraid of any troubles while traveling.
How make a compass, when in field conditions the regular one was lost or failed compass?
To do this, you need certain available materials, an understanding of the principle of operation of the device and a little ingenuity.
The principle of operation of the compass is based on the phenomenon that any magnet tends to be located along power lines magnetic field Earth. The power lines are oriented from north to south. Consequently, the magnet will be oriented in the same direction. The compass needle is a small magnet.
In order to make a compass we need a magnetic needle and the ability to position it so that as little extraneous forces as possible prevent it from turning along the lines of force of the Earth’s magnetic field.
A linear magnet would work best as a compass needle. And of the materials at hand, steel is best magnetized
Therefore, it is best to make a compass using a sewing needle as a magnetic needle. You can use a pin or a piece steel wire, strings, for example, or other steel objects. Any steel strip can also work small sizes- a regular razor blade, for example, or half of it.
How to make a compass using a needle.
To make a compass using a needle as an arrow, it must be magnetized. To do this, you need to rub it on a magnet or stick it to it for a few minutes.
You can use a magnet from the speaker of a radio, audio player, or from headphones to them.
How to make a compass when there is no magnet?
For magnetization, in this case, you can make an electromagnet using a battery and a piece of thin wire.
Having wrapped the needle with some insulating material, paper or fabric, for example, we wind as many turns of wire around it as possible, creating an electromagnet winding.
We connect the ends of the wire to the battery terminals.
Moreover, it is important to know that the end of the needle to which the end of the wire connected to the negative terminal of the battery will point to the north.
What if we have neither a magnet nor a battery?
Then you can magnetize the needle by vigorously rubbing it on silk or woolen fabric.
Or your own hair. (About it the original way More details in the video at the end of the article).
The needle is also magnetized if one end of it is heated red-hot over a fire, cooled in air, and the other end rubbed between the fingers.
To make a compass, you need to ensure that the needle floats on the surface of the water - in a puddle or in a container of water. The container should be made of non-magnetic material, and there should be no iron objects or power lines nearby.
Sometimes the needle floats on the surface due to surface tension forces. But it’s easier to make it float by smearing it with some kind of fat.
You can also put it on some floating object - a piece of paper, a piece of wood, a piece of bark, cork or foam. Or stick it in a straw.
If the conditions are met correctly, the needle will be positioned in the north-south direction.
If we don’t know which end of it points to the north, we can navigate by
Let's think about how to make a compass when there is no water in which to float an improvised arrow.
In this case, you can make a compass by hanging a needle or, for example, a razor blade on a thread, tying it to the center of gravity. The thread must be of sufficient length and must allow the “arrow” to turn freely.
If the wind and nearby iron objects do not interfere, it will be located in the north-south direction.
In cases where the compass fails, it is important to preserve its needle. By placing it on a needle, a thorn, or, in extreme cases, a fish bone, we can always determine the direction to the north.
To make a compass, which can be carried, it is enough to make a case for it from available materials.
A lot has been written about the compass for children, but we will try to discuss this issue with a 6-year-old child. Let's draw a compass using a ruler. Let's watch a video about a compass for children, find out what this device is used for and the history of its creation. Let's make a compass with our own hands. The goal of this lesson is to understand the cardinal directions.
- A little information
- Drawing of a compass with a child
- Making a compass with your own hands
- Video for children on the topic
Hello dear readers, last time we spoke by homemade game, which made it possible for the child to understand that using the map you can come to the desired place. In the case of our game, it was a watering hole for the animals of the savannah. Today my son and I will analyze such an irreplaceable device as a compass.
Definition of a compass for children
A compass is a device with which a person can determine the directions of the world: north, south, west, east.
In ancient times, ships had to sail without going far from the shore in order to know where they were. The sailors found their way using landmarks. One day people discovered that if you hang a magnet (a piece magnetic iron ore), it will always point north. The magnet was nicknamed the guiding stone, and this is how the first compass appeared. Now sailors could sail far from the coast and discover new lands.
The first maps were drawn with compasses pointing to the East - or, as it was called in Latin, Orientus - which was considered at that time the center of the world. The ability to find your way using a compass and map is called orienteering. To do this, you need to know what the cardinal directions are called. To remember them, we will make a drawing.
Child's drawing of a compass
During a lesson about the compass for children, try to provide information through different channels. In this case, we do it through our hands. And since my boy, less than 6 years old, is in 2nd grade, I need to develop his skill in using a ruler and determining the degrees of angles. For the drawing we needed:
- a sheet of thick paper;
- ruler for measuring angles;
- glass (you can use a protractor);
- colour pencils.
We have a simple compass at home, which I placed in front of the child and first we discussed its purpose. Then I suggested drawing this device, asking how we could make a large circle and another smaller one? At first, Alexander suggested a jar lid, but the different lids were almost the same size, which left us no room for designations. There was a glass of water in front of his son and, looking around his room in search of circles, he offered both ends of the glass.
Of course, you can use a protractor and we will definitely study this tool later, but at the moment I am more interested in developing the ability to “get out of a situation in different ways.” This is for us adults; such things are something ordinary, but not for a preschooler. So, the child draws 2 circles, one inside the other.
Now, using a ruler, we determine 90 degrees and draw the inner circle into 4 parts. I decided to immediately explain to my son the intermediate directions, for this he measured the middle from 90, that is, 45 degrees. Having a compass in front of my eyes, it was easy for me to explain to the child the cardinal directions: NE (northeast), SE (southeast), SW (southwest) and NW (northwest).
All that remains is to color and draw a compass for children – it’s ready. On old maps the end of the arrow, pointing north, was decorated with a fleur-de-lis pattern. I helped Alexander draw it, and my boy carefully painted the device with the chosen colors and signed the directions.
DIY compass - experiment
Of course, we all remember from childhood this easy experiment, for which we will need:
- container with water;
- 2 needles;
- magnet;
- float made from a piece of cork.
First we read a wonderful book on English language“What makes a magnet” from the Let’s read and find out science series. If you have the opportunity to purchase books in this series, be sure to do so, I ordered from Amazon. We started reading during the event. And this time, we repeated the information that planet Earth has a magnetic field and conducted an experiment that the little mouse shows.
You can’t explain the compass to children better than during an experiment, when the child sees with his own eyes how it works. So:
- We put one needle aside, and draw the sharp tip of the second one in one direction along the magnet 30-50 times.
- We bring the magnetized end of the needle to another needle and check if it is attracted.
- We put on the float - we pierce the floating piece of the object with a magnetized needle.
- Place in the water in the middle of the bowl.
Now all that remains is to watch sharp end, will stop looking clearly north. For clarity, we put our drawing below. Also give your child the opportunity to compare the needle readings with a real compass - they should match.
Now all that remains is to give the magnet and offer to bring it closer to the float. The child himself will understand that the compass readings may be disrupted if there is another magnet nearby. Alexander liked it so much that he drove the “arrow” like a boat in different sides, a good half hour.
Video about compass for children
It's no secret that children perfectly absorb information from cartoons. On the topic of the compass, I found several videos suitable for our age. In first place I will put the unique Fixies, who will tell you about this device with a sense of humor.
Second place will be taken by the educational cartoon “Why does the compass point to the north?” And although I am frankly annoyed by the pronunciation of the speaker, I have not found a more informative video.
And the third one is about the well-known Innovators, I put it because my son liked it. But personally, I think that it is difficult for a child to get information from a video about where he was compass invented. Although the creators tried to show exactly this.
Compass riddles for children
I like to diversify my activities by reading books, poems on the topic, and sometimes riddles. All answers in the provided quatrains are a compass.
It will fall all over your palm.
It's not a clock, but there is a hand.
It will come in handy on the road
You won't get lost anywhere with him.
I can find my way everywhere
A true friend helps.
He will always show exactly:
This is the north, this is the south.
Both in the taiga and in the ocean
He will find any way.
Fits in your pocket
And he leads us along.
The arrow swings back and forth,
He will show us north and south without difficulty.
Always sits under glass
Looks in all directions:
It will be useful in the forest and in the field -
won't let you get lost.
A crossword puzzle is interesting for a child and gives the parent an opportunity to test their acquired knowledge. When Alexander and I walked through, I was already doing a crossword puzzle and I know that my boy loves such things. All answers were given correctly after our lessons and watching educational cartoons.
Questions:
- The compass points in the direction of... (north)
- What can spoil the compass readings? (magnet)
- This direction is to the right of north (east)
- Rotating part of the compass (arrow)
- There are south, north and magnetic (pole)
- In which country did the first compasses appear? (China)
Well, dear readers, I hope that you are interested in traveling with us into this diverse world of geography. Today I tried to show how easy it is to explain a compass to children. And next time we will try to make the first card with a child. In order not to miss blog news, subscribe to the newsletter; I’m sure it will be not only informative, but also interesting.
How to make a compass?
There are different situations when you may need a compass: lost in the forest, determining north-south in an apartment, arranging furniture according to Feng Shui. But, as always, at the right moment, something important is not “at hand”, in this case a compass. What to do? Make it yourself. Below we will tell you how to make a compass and what you need for this.
Making a compass at home
You can make two types of compasses - on water and on string.
For the first option we will need: a needle, a magnet, polystyrene foam, a wide glass container with water (deep plate).
- We draw a magnet along one of the tips of the needle, 20-30 times in one direction. This is how we magnetize it.
- Making a compass needle. We insert the needle into the foam so that both ends stick out from it. At the same time, our arrow must stay level on the water without turning over, that is, we must clearly find and establish the center of gravity.
- We lower the arrow into a container of water. It will start spinning and after a while will stop, the magnetized end will point north.
For the second option, we will need a magnet, a needle, thread, tape, a piece of paper, a pencil, scissors and a glass container (a 3 liter jar will do).
- Magnetize one end of the needle.
- Insert a needle into a piece of paper.
- We glue the thread to the paper with tape, and fasten the second end of the thread to a pencil. Let's equalize the center of gravity of our arrow.
- We lower the arrow into the jar, and place the pencil on the support (neck of the jar).
- The “arrow” will begin to spin, and the magnetized tip of the needle will point north.
Now you know how to make a compass with your own hands at home.
Making a compass in nature
For this we will use available materials. Of course, when going hiking, hunting, or picking mushrooms, it is advisable to put a wire or nail, a piece of thread and a magnet in your pocket, but if you don’t have any of these, it doesn’t matter. We propose to consider two options for creating compasses in extreme conditions.
First: we need something small, metal. This could be a needle, a piece of wire or a nail. Now we need to magnetize one of its ends, how can we make a part in a compass, the most important one – the arrow, if there is no magnet? You can magnetize a metal object by friction. Rub it on your hair or woolen clothing. Now we tie a thread to our arrow. Be sure to find the center of gravity and balance the wire, otherwise the result will be incorrect. The length of the thread must be at least 40cm. We take the second edge in our hands or tie it to a stick and place it on a support. After our needle spins and balances, the magnetized edge will point accurately to the north.
For the second option, we need a hole with water or a bowl. We magnetize one end of our “arrow”. Take a leaf of a tree or a piece of bark and put it there. We lower it all into the puddle and see where the tip of the arrow points. That's where the north will be.
As you can see, making a compass is not difficult in any situation, you just need to be smart. You can experiment at home first. If something goes wrong, type in a search engine: how to make a compass - video, and watch. Now, for sure, there are no questions left.