Magnetic field "flyby" measurement using simultaneously magnetometer and accelerometer

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates a novel method using smartphone sensors to measure the spatial dependence of magnetic fields by simultaneously recording magnetic and acceleration data during a controlled movement.

Contribution

It introduces a new approach leveraging smartphone accelerometers and magnetometers for magnetic field measurements, enabling easier and more integrated experiments.

Findings

Successful simultaneous measurement of magnetic field and distance.

Method can be extended to complex magnetic field setups.

Provides a practical tool for electromagnetism education.

Abstract

The spatial dependence of magnetic fields in simple configurations is an usual topic in introductory electromagnetism lessons, both in high school and in university courses. In typical experiments, magnetic fields are obtained taking point-by-point values using a Hall sensor and distances are measured using a ruler. Here, we show how to take advantage of the smartphone capabilities to get simultaneous measures with the built-in accelerometer and magnetometer and to obtain the spatial dependence of magnetic fields. We consider a simple set up consisting of a smartphone mounted on a track whose direction coincides with the axis of a coil. While the smartphone is smoothly accelerated, both the magnetic field and the distance from the center of the coil (integrated numerically from the acceleration values) are simultaneously obtained. This methodology can be easily extended to more complicated setups.