The earth has a magnetic field much like a bar magnet. explain this statement. what does a bar magnet look like? what does its field look like? where are the poles? how does it relate to the earth?

Explanation:

The earth has a magnetic field. It is much like a bar magnet. Imagine a gigantic bar magnet inside the Earth. But there is no giant magnet inside it.

To have a pretty good idea what earth's magnetic field is shaped like we imagine a bar magnet inside the earth.

The magnetic field is made by the motion of molten iron in earth's outer core.  The swirling motion of molten iron changes all the time. Therefore, the magnetic fields will also get change. Then, the magnet poles also move.

The North pole and the south pole are two geographic poles of earth.  These poles are the places on the earth's surface that earth's imaginary spin axis passes through.

There are two magnetic poles of the earth: North magnetic pole and South magnetic pole.

Earth's magnetic field is tilted a little bit. If we imagine that earth's magnetic field is made by a giant bar magnet. Then, the bar magnet would make an with earth's spin axis.

The geographic poles and the magnetic poles are not in the same place.

If we are standing at one magnetic poles then the magnetic field lines would be straight up and down.