Magnetic Compass A compass is an instrument containing a freely suspended Magnetic element which displays the direction of the horizontal component of the Earth's Magnetic field at the point of observation. The Magnetic compass is an old Chinese invention, probaly first made in China during the Qin dynasty (221-206 B.C.).
Background A compass is a device used to determine direction on the surface of the earth. The most familiar type of compass is the magnetic compass, which relies on the fact that a magnetic object tends to align itself with Earth's magnetic field.
When people think of instruments that help with direction finding, the first one that springs to mind is probably the magnetic compass. It is the oldest instrument for navigation and has been a vital tool for navigators at sea for centuries. The compass allows ships to steer a selected course.
Dr. Keith Ray surveys the four great Chinese inventions that have changed the World. It is an article reprinted from SACU's China Eye magazine (2004). Over thousands of years China has produced a great stream of inventions, ranging from the mundane chopstick and wheelbarrow, to sophisticated earthquake detectors and the advanced concept of bank notes.
