This MCQ module is based on: Compass, Applications and Demagnetising
Compass, Applications and Demagnetising
4.6 Using a Magnetic Compass
The needle of a compass is nothing but a tiny, thin bar magnet. Because Earth itself is a huge magnet, this needle always turns and settles along the North–South line. The red (or painted) tip of the needle points towards the geographic North. The other (white or black) end points to the South.
- Keep your compass flat on a table far away from iron objects, mobile phones, speakers and laptop magnets.
- Wait till the needle comes to rest.
- Gently rotate the body of the compass (not the needle) so that the mark 'N' on the dial sits exactly under the red end of the needle.
- Now the dial tells you the true directions: E is to your right if you face N, W to your left, S behind you.
4.7 Magnets in Our Daily Life
You might think magnets are rare lab items — but in fact, they are everywhere around you!
At Home
In Industry
In Medicine & Travel
4.8 Caring for Magnets
A magnet is strong but also delicate! If not handled properly, it loses its magnetism — we say it becomes demagnetised.
How Magnets Lose Their Strength
Right Way to Store Magnets
Store two bar magnets side by side with opposite poles (N facing S) touching, and place small soft-iron pieces (called keepers) across their ends. This keeps the magnetism locked inside.
- Television screens and computer monitors — magnets can distort the picture.
- Credit/debit cards — the magnetic strip can get erased.
- Wristwatches — the tiny metal parts inside can get magnetised and stop keeping time.
- Mobile phones and pacemakers — sensitive electronics may be disturbed.
Interactive: Find the Direction! L3
The red end of the compass needle points North. Use the picture below and click the correct direction for each riddle.
Competency-Based Questions
Q1. A compass needle always settles in the: L1
Q2. Which of these is NOT a good way to store bar magnets? L2
Q3. Reshma keeps her debit card next to a strong magnet for a few days. What might happen and why? L4
Q4. Name any THREE uses of magnets in industry or medicine. L2
Q5. Why are TV screens, mobile phones and watches harmed by strong magnets? L3
Assertion – Reason
Assertion (A): A magnetic compass works even during a cloudy storm at sea.
Reason (R): A compass uses Earth's magnetism, not the stars.
Assertion (A): A bar magnet that has been heated strongly loses its magnetism.
Reason (R): Heat disturbs the alignment of the tiny magnetic particles inside the material.
Assertion (A): Credit cards must be kept far from strong magnets.
Reason (R): Credit cards are made of plastic.
Frequently Asked Questions — Compass, Applications and Demagnetising
What does the topic 'Compass, Applications and Demagnetising' cover in Class 6 Science?
The topic 'Compass, Applications and Demagnetising' is part of NCERT Class 6 Science Chapter 4 — Exploring Magnets. It covers the key ideas of compass, directions, applications of magnets, demagnetising, heat, hammering, storing magnets, explained through everyday examples, labelled diagrams and hands-on activities from the NCERT Curiosity textbook. Class 6 students learn simple definitions, see why each idea matters in daily life, and try short experiments and observations. The lesson uses easy language, colourful pictures and small questions so that young learners build a strong base for higher classes and for competency-based questions in CBSE school tests.
Why is 'Compass, Applications and Demagnetising' important for Class 6 NCERT Science?
'Compass, Applications and Demagnetising' is important because it builds the first ideas of science that Class 6 students will use again in Class 7, 8 and beyond. NCERT Chapter 4 — Exploring Magnets — introduces compass and connects it to things children already see at home, at school and in nature. Learning this topic helps students ask better questions, understand simple news about science, and score well in CBSE tests that use competency-based questions. The chapter also supports NEP 2020 by encouraging curiosity, observation and learning by doing rather than only reading and memorising.
What are the key ideas students should remember from Compass, Applications and Demagnetising?
The key ideas in 'Compass, Applications and Demagnetising' for Class 6 Science are: compass, directions, applications of magnets, demagnetising, heat, hammering, storing magnets. Students should be able to say each term in their own words, give one or two easy examples from daily life, and draw a small labelled diagram where needed. A good way to revise is to make flashcards, write a short note in the science notebook, and solve the NCERT in-text and exercise questions of Chapter 4. Linking every idea to something seen at home or school — in the kitchen, garden, playground or sky — makes these ideas easy to remember for unit tests and the annual CBSE examination.
How is Compass, Applications and Demagnetising taught using activities in NCERT Curiosity Class 6?
NCERT Curiosity Class 6 Science teaches 'Compass, Applications and Demagnetising' through an inquiry-based approach using Predict–Observe–Explain activities. Students first make a guess, then try a small experiment with safe, easily available materials, and finally explain what happened and why. This matches the NEP 2020 focus on learning by doing. For Chapter 4 — Exploring Magnets — the textbook has hands-on tasks, labelled pictures and thinking questions built for Bloom's Taxonomy Levels 1 to 6. Teachers use these activities, along with competency-based questions (CBQs) and assertion–reason items, to check real understanding instead of only rote learning.
What real-life examples of compass can Class 6 students see at home?
Class 6 students can see compass at home in many simple ways linked to 'Compass, Applications and Demagnetising'. Kitchens, school bags, playgrounds, the garden and the night sky are full of examples that match NCERT Chapter 4 — Exploring Magnets. For example, students can look at food labels, watch changes while cooking, try safe activities with water, magnets or shadows, and observe the Sun, Moon and weather each day. Keeping a small science diary — with the date, what was observed and a quick drawing — turns daily life into a mini science lab. These real-life links make concepts easy to remember and help in answering competency-based questions in CBSE Class 6 Science.
How does 'Compass, Applications and Demagnetising' connect to other chapters of Class 6 Science?
'Compass, Applications and Demagnetising' connects to many other chapters in NCERT Class 6 Science Curiosity. The ideas of compass come back when students study related topics like diversity in the living world, food, magnets, measurement, materials, temperature, water, separation, habitats, natural resources and the solar system. For example, what students learn here helps them build mental pictures for later chapters and for Class 7 and Class 8 Science. Teachers often ask cross-chapter questions in CBSE exams to check if students can use what they learned in Chapter 4 — Exploring Magnets — in new situations. This linked approach matches the NEP 2020 and NCF 2023 focus on holistic, competency-based learning.