Various phenomena have the effect of "displaying" magnetic field lines as though the field lines are physical phenomena.
Magnetic field lines are like the contour lines (constant altitude) on a topographic map in that they represent something continuous, and a different mapping scale would show more or fewer lines.
Describe the shape of the equipotential lines for several charge configurations.
The only exception is a curving of the lines near the edges of the conductor plates.
When charges are lined up and continuous on conducting plates, equipotential lines are straight between them.
An isolated point charge Q with its electric field lines (blue) and equipotential lines (green).
This means that if a charge is at any point on a given equipotential line, no work will be required to move it from one point to another on that same line.
To measure the angle of incident sunlight there Eratosthenes lowered a plumb bob suspended by a string deep into a well.
By Earth's gravity, the mass hung straight down the line of the string established a "vertical" at that geographic location.
The intersection of the two lines is the center of mass.
Suspend the object from two locations and to drop plumb lines from the suspension points.
In two dimensions: An experimental method for locating the center of mass is to suspend the object from two locations and to drop plumb lines from the suspension points.