Q:
Who invented the compass?
A:
Quick Answer
The first compasses were invented by the Chinese around the 4th century BC. The earliest compasses, however, were not used exclusively for navigation. They were used primarily as figurative symbols to help people find order and harmony in their surrounding environments and lives.
Continue Reading
Credit:
Dan Brownsword
Cultura
Getty Images
Full Answer
Despite being created for spiritual use, early compasses proved equally valuable for navigation. They were constructed primarily with lodestone, which is a unique type of mineral magnet that automatically aligns with the Earth's magnetic fields. The Chinese added ornate decorations to the centers of their compasses, and they marked the eight main directions along the sides. These compasses were flat and square-shaped, and they rested on plates made of bronze.
Learn more about InventionsSources:
Related Questions
-
Q:
Who invented the horse collar?
A: The horse collar was invented by the Chinese, in approximately the fourth century BC. Other inventions of ancient China include the wheelbarrow, seismograp... Full Answer >Filed Under: -
Q:
When was math invented?
A: A crude form of math was first invented by the Sumerians in the sixth century BC. Because the Sumerians had developed a settled, agricultural civilization,... Full Answer >Filed Under: -
Q:
How is a compass used?
A: Store-bought compasses have a lightweight and magnetized pointer fixed on a low-friction pivot; a small plastic cylinder filled with liquid seals the point... Full Answer >Filed Under: -
Q:
Why does a compass always point north?
A: The earth's magnetic field causes a compass to point north, as compasses are powered by magnets. The magnets inside compasses are drawn to the magnetic Nor... Full Answer >Filed Under:
