Make a Compass

Introduction:
When people think of instruments that help with direction finding, the first one that comes to mind is probably the magnetic compass. It is the oldest instrument for navigation and has been a vital tool for navigators at sea for centuries. 

No matter where you stand on earth you can hold a compass in your hand and it will point toward the north pole. What an unbelievably neat and amazing thing! Imagine that you are in the middle of the ocean, and you are looking all around you in every direction and all you can see is water, and it is overcast so you cannot see the sun... how in the world would you know which way to go unless you had a compass that told you which way is "up"?

 A compass gave humans an easy and inexpensive way to know which way to go. But how can you make a compass?

 
 Material and step by step instructions
You can use magnets, needles, nails, paperclips and material that can simply be found around your home to build a compass.
Details of this project
More details of this project is available for the members of ScienceProject.com. The electromagnetix and electromagnet science set also include material and instructions for making a compass. Both these kits are available from MiniScience.com online store. Since research on this subject has a long history, you may also be able to find good books about it in your local library or find some information on the internet.