Lost (5/17 SPOILERS!!!)

[majustismp15]

I don't want to sound like one of the many pessimistic LOST haters, but I do have a question that perhaps on of you fine posters can answer:

How was Michael able to find his way using a compass? The fact that there is a huge Magnetic field being generated near his point of origin, how can he hope to use a compass?
The B-field produced by the hatch is WAY strong than that of earth's, so really I would assume that the compass would point to the hatch (or away depending on the field).

So does that mean the engineers set up the hatch to have such a strong B-field that it will line up a faux magnetic north?

After typing it, I realized not everybody would know what a B-field is, it's physics talk for Magnetic field...

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

In other words, the hatch is the magnetic north pole (of the island) and everywhere else is south, when you're standing at the hatch?

That makes sense and does make for a good question. How far does the field extend, though?

 

[dravot]

In other words, the hatch is the magnetic north pole (of the island) and everywhere else is south, when you're standing at the hatch?

That makes sense and does make for a good question. How far does the field extend, though?

Is the field on all the time?

 

[Steverooo]

Don't know if Scott (Steve?) had any issues to overcome, though.

Steve... THEY KILLED STEVE!!! Or Swimmer-Girl!

 

[GSHamster]

Magnetism follows an inverse square law. So as you get farther away, its strength drops off rapidly. Double the distance away, the field is at a quarter strength.

So unless the magnet is *crazy* strong, it really shouldn't affect things outside the hatch, or wherever it is.

 

[dravot]

Magnetism follows an inverse square law. So as you get farther away, its strength drops off rapidly. Double the distance away, the field is at a quarter strength.

So unless the magnet is *crazy* strong, it really shouldn't affect things outside the hatch, or wherever it is.

Yup. I forgot to bring that up. Didn't they discover in the first season that their compass wasn't working? They were somewhere in the interior of the island.

 

[GSHamster]

Yup. I forgot to bring that up. Didn't they discover in the first season that their compass wasn't working? They were somewhere in the interior of the island.

Hmm. You are correct. I forgot about that. Not sure why the compass works all of a sudden. Or maybe the first compass is broken, or they were too close to the magnet.

 

[RangerWickett]

Hmm. You are correct. I forgot about that. Not sure why the compass works all of a sudden. Or maybe the first compass is broken, or they were too close to the magnet.

Actually, the way I saw it, Michael was aware the compass didn't work, and he was navigating based on that fact. I'd have to see a screenshot to be sure, but he was supposed to head north, and I'm pretty sure the compass needle wasn't pointing the direction he was heading.

 

[Fast Learner]

I just reviewed that little section and it seems that he looks at his compass, sees that north is off to his diagonal left, and then heads exactly in that direction.

Which leads to another possibility: Michael's an idiot and ran into the Others (including the peeing one) by accident. He was supposed to go north to the "rock" with the hole in it, but my guess is he's just wandering. If it wasn't an accident, the Others needed to track the moron down.

 

[RigaMortus2]

I just think the magnetic field doesn't cover the entire island. In the first season, they just happened to be closer to the magnetic field then Michael was at when he used the compass.