How does the Earth generate a magnetic field?
This is one those questions that scientists are still trying to answer. The Earth’s core is made of dense metals like iron and nickel. The very center of the core is solid, but the outer core is liquid metal. As the planet rotates between day and night, the liquid outer core rotates with it. The slow rotation of liquid metal in our core creates a current that causes Earth to act like a very large magnet. The Earth has north and south poles, just like any magnet does–even a refrigerator magnet! The effects of Earth’s giant magnet extend into space and create a magnetic “field” surrounding our planet. Ever try to push the opposite ends of two magnets together? It’s hard because they deflect each other. In a similar way, the Earth’s magnetic field deflects fast-moving particles (like the solar wind) from bombarding the planet’s surface. What’s so great about a magnetic field? When we use a compass to find our way out of the forest, we are using the compass to find the north pole of Earth
