Which statement correctly describes true north and magnetic north?

Which statement correctly describes true north and magnetic north?

• A. True north points to the geographic pole; magnetic north is fixed and does not move.
• B. True north refers to the magnetic direction and is constant.
• C. Magnetic north points toward the geographic pole.
• D. True north points to the geographic pole; magnetic north drifts over time due to Earth's magnetic field.

Answer: (D)

True north is the direction toward the geographic North Pole, a fixed reference tied to Earth's rotation. Magnetic north, on the other hand, is the direction indicated by the Earth's magnetic field and is near the magnetic north pole, but it is not fixed. The magnetic north pole drifts over time as the fluid movements in Earth's outer core continually reshape the magnetic field. Because of this, a compass points to magnetic north, not true north, and the difference between the two—magnetic declination—varies by location and changes over time. The statement that true north points to the geographic pole and that magnetic north drifts due to Earth's magnetic field accurately captures how these directions behave.

True north is the direction toward the geographic North Pole, a fixed reference tied to Earth's rotation. Magnetic north, on the other hand, is the direction indicated by the Earth's magnetic field and is near the magnetic north pole, but it is not fixed. The magnetic north pole drifts over time as the fluid movements in Earth's outer core continually reshape the magnetic field. Because of this, a compass points to magnetic north, not true north, and the difference between the two—magnetic declination—varies by location and changes over time. The statement that true north points to the geographic pole and that magnetic north drifts due to Earth's magnetic field accurately captures how these directions behave.