Magnetic North is the north indicated by a compass.

• A. Grid North
• B. Magnetic North
• C. True North
• D. East

Answer: (B)

A compass works because its needle aligns with Earth’s magnetic field. The north-seeking end points toward Magnetic North, the direction where the planet’s magnetic field points most northward at your location. This is not the same as True North, which is the geographic North Pole, because the magnetic field is offset from the pole and shifts over time. The difference between Magnetic North and True North is called magnetic declination and varies by place and time. Grid North is a map-specific direction along the grid lines, and East is simply one of the cardinal directions. So the statement that Magnetic North is the north indicated by a compass correctly describes how a compass points.