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Why does the north pole of a compass point north if like poles repel?

If a known north magnetic field(bar magnet) is placed near a compass it's field is repeled so is the current north magnetic pole really north?

Public Comments

1. no. the 'north pole' is actually the south pole of the imaginary bar magnet of the earth. but remember that magnetic compasses were in use before the mechanics were understood. when the earths magnetic north pole was asssociated with the the north poles of magnets, no one really had the image of a giant bar magnet in the earth. the north pole of a magnet was named because it always pointed to the north pole of the earth.