why does the earth have a magnetic declination?
a. the earth's axis of rotation is not constant
b. the magnetic field of the earth is unknown
c. its magnetic poles shift over time and are not aligned to its geographical poles.
d. the north and south poles are improperly named.
and your thinking is?
i think its a
The correct answer is c. its magnetic poles shift over time and are not aligned to its geographical poles.
To understand why the Earth has a magnetic declination, we need to first understand the Earth's magnetic field. The Earth behaves as though it has a large bar magnet at its core, with magnetic poles located near the geographic North and South poles.
However, the Earth's magnetic field is not perfectly aligned with its geographic poles. Over time, the magnetic poles tend to shift in position, resulting in a discrepancy between magnetic north and true north (geographic north).
This misalignment between the magnetic and geographic poles is what causes the phenomenon known as magnetic declination. In simple terms, magnetic declination is the angle between true north and magnetic north at a specific location on the Earth's surface.
It's important to note that the magnetic declination varies depending on the location on Earth and can also change over time. For example, in some regions, the magnetic north pole may be located to the east of the geographic north pole, while in others, it may be to the west. These variations are due to the movement of the Earth's magnetic poles.
So, in summary, the Earth has a magnetic declination because its magnetic poles shift over time and are not aligned with its geographic poles.