Which of the following can be used to determine the polarity of an unm

Which of the following can be used to determine the polarity of an unmarked bar magnet?

An electroscope

Iron filings

A compass

Another unmarked bar magnet

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Answer is Wrong!

This question was previously asked in

UPSC Geoscientist – 2022

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A compass is essentially a small magnet (needle) that is free to rotate and align itself with the Earth’s magnetic field. The red or North-seeking pole of the compass needle points towards the Earth’s magnetic North pole. If you bring an unmarked bar magnet near the compass, the compass needle will be either attracted or repelled by the poles of the bar magnet. By observing which pole of the compass (whose polarity is known) is attracted or repelled by each end of the unmarked magnet, you can determine the polarity of the unmarked magnet. Like poles repel, and opposite poles attract.

– A compass needle has known magnetic poles.
– Magnetic poles interact (like repel, opposite attract).
– Using a compass, one can identify the poles of an unknown magnet by observing attraction/repulsion.

An electroscope detects electric charge, not magnetism. Iron filings visualize magnetic field lines but don’t directly label poles. Bringing two unmarked magnets together allows observation of attraction/repulsion, but without knowing the polarity of at least one, you cannot label the poles definitively, although you can confirm they are magnets and identify pairs of like and unlike poles.

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