Earth's magnetism: declination, inclination, horizontal component
Magnetism and matter · Physics
DC circuit
Interactive 3DElectrons drift around the loop — raise the voltage and watch the current obey Ohm's law.
Controls
Drag the sliders or type a value — the simulation updates live.
Study notes
**Example:** A surveyor measures the total magnetic field strength at a site to be **B = 55 µT** and the inclination angle to be **I = 45°**. Find the horizontal component **B_h** of the Earth's magnetic field at that location. **Steps:** 1. Write the formula for the horizontal component: \(B_h = B \times \cos I\). 2. Convert the inclination angle to radians if using a calculator that requires radians, or directly use the cosine function in degree mode. 3. Calculate \(\cos 45°\). \(\cos 45° = \frac{\sqrt{2}}{2} \approx 0.7071\). 4. Multiply the total field by the cosine value: \(B_h = 55\,\mu T \times 0.7071 \approx 38.9\,\mu T\). 5. **Result:** The horizontal component of the magnetic field is approximately **38.9 µT**. This horizontal component is what a compass would primarily respond to at that location.