Teacher's Guide Motion Of The Magnetic Pole
Teacher’s Guide
Motion of the Magnetic Pole
The Magnetic North Pole has been charted over the past several hundred years.
Introduction
The pole shifts an average of 15 kilometers/year. Navigation by compass is
especially difficult during a magnetic storm. Compass bearings can shift by 10
degrees or more within the course of a few hours, therefore, it is important to kno
the pole’s present location.
The student will plot the latitude and longitude involved in the
movement of the Magnetic North Pole over a period of time, predict
Objective
its location by the year 2000, and justify their reasoning.
Procedure
Materials
1) Students will plot the latitude
EXPLANATION:
and the longitude for the given
—Student Page
years using the data in the table.
To calculate the speed, use the
—Teacher Graph
following formula:
2) Students will connect the points
—Ruler with millimeter
in the given order to see the
Tabulated Distance
units
pattern of movement in the
speed = ——————————-
—Calculator
Magnetic North Pole.
Difference in Years
3) Students will measure the
distances between the points, and
Example:
using the time between the years
in the table, arrive at an average
For the first interval between 1831
rate of movement. (See
and 1904, the North Magnetic Pole
explanation).
moved 50 kilometers. The
difference in the years is 1904-1831
4) Students will plot and justif
= 73 years, so the speed during this
their choice of location based on
interval is
their results. Student’s prediction
50
and justification should be based
speed = —
on the speed and the distance that
73
the Magnetic North Pole has
shifted in prior years.
= 0.7 kilometers/year
Conclusion:
Students will understand that the Magnetic North Pole is
not fixed at a specific geographic location, but moves from
year to year by a significant amount.
Teacher’s Answer Key
1. Plot the longitude and the latitude for the following years on the map below. NOTE: The distance that the Magnetic
North Pole moved between the years has been calculated using the map scale.
YEAR
Longitude
Latitude
Distance
Speed ( km/year)
1831
96.5
70.1
1904
96.2
70.5
50 k
0.7 km/year
1948
101.1
73.8
420 k
9.5 km/year
1962
100.8
75.0
150 k
10.7 km/year
1973
101.3
76.1
120 k
10.9 km/year
1984
102.1
77.2
120 k
10.9 km/year
1994
104.0
78.5
180 k
18.0 km/year
2. Given the data in the table, plot a prediction for the location of the North Magnetic Pole for the year 2000.
3. In your own words, justify the location of the prediction you have chosen.
The student prediction and justification should be based on the speed and the distance that the Magnetic
North Pole has shifted in prior years. Students may either use an average speed based on the motion between 1831
to 1994 ( = 1040 km/163 years = 6.4 kilometers/year) or may use the speed during the last 10 years ( 18.0
kilometers/year) but should justify which way they computed the speed. Either method is technically correct.
Name ______________
Date_________________
1. Plot the longitude and the latitude for the following years on the map below. NOTE: The distance that the Magnetic
North Pole moved between the years has been calculated using the map scale.
YEAR
Longitude
Latitude
Distance
Speed ( km/year)
1831
96.5
70.1
1904
96.2
70.5
50 k
1948
101.1
73.8
420 k
1962
100.8
75.0
150 k
1973
101.3
76.1
120 k
1984
102.1
77.2
120 k
1994
104.0
78.5
180 k
2. Given the data in the table, plot a prediction for the location of the North Magnetic Pole for the year 2000. Hint:
Find the average rate of speed and complete the table. To calculate this for the given data, you will need to kno
that the speed is the distance the pole has moved divided by the difference between the two years in each interval .
You may also decide to calculate the average speed for ALL of the time between 1831 and 1994. The units will be
in kilometers/year.
3. In your own words, justify the location of the prediction you have chosen.
