What does Magnetic dip describe?

• A. A horizontal shift of the compass housing due to g-forces.
• B. The angle between magnetic north and true north.
• C. A vertical attraction between a compass needle and the magnetic poles. The closer the aircraft is to a pole, the more severe the effect.
• D. A delay in compass readout due to magnetic interference.

Answer: (C)

Magnetic dip refers to how the Earth’s magnetic field is inclined relative to the planet’s surface. The field isn’t purely horizontal; it has a vertical component that becomes stronger as you move toward the poles. The compass needle tends to align with the total magnetic field, so this vertical component causes the needle to tilt in the vertical plane—the dip. As you get closer to a pole, the vertical component increases, making the dip more pronounced. That’s why the statement describing a vertical effect on the needle that intensifies near the poles best captures what magnetic dip describes.

Other options describe different phenomena: horizontal shifts due to g-forces are acceleration/turning errors, the angle between magnetic north and true north is magnetic declination, and delays due to interference are magnetic disturbances affecting timing rather than the needle’s tilt.