Smartphone Magnetometer Field Mapping for Electromagnetism Mastery

Study guide
Chee Wei Jie
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Chee Wei Jie·Academic Advisor (Physics)
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Q: What does Smartphone Magnetometer Field Mapping for Electromagnetism Mastery cover?
A: Map magnetic fields from solenoids and Helmholtz coils with smartphone magnetometers, build Biot - Savart comparison charts.
TL;DR
Clamp a smartphone in a 3D-printed jig, sweep it through the axis of a solenoid, and log magnetic field strength with PhyPhox.
Plot B vs distance, overlay Biot - Savart predictions, and discuss discrepancies from edge effects and sensor drift.
You walk away with publishable graphs, rigorous uncertainty commentary, and compelling material for Paper 4 planning answers about electromagnetism experiments.

Why Bring Smartphones into the Magnetism Lab

  • It’s a practical way to turn “field mapping” into a data-rich experiment with repeatable measurements.
  • Students get an authentic application of vector data logging and analysis (CSV export, regression, uncertainty commentary).
  • The activity dovetails with AC generator and induction experiments already on your blog, letting learners compare multiple electromagnetism contexts.

Apparatus Checklist

ItemNotes
Smartphone with magnetometer (Android or iPhone)Install PhyPhox for live XYZ readings.
3D-printed or laser-cut alignment jigKeeps the phone centred on the solenoid axis to reduce positional uncertainty.
Helmholtz coil pair or long solenoidKnown geometry allows analytic Biot - Savart predictions.
Bench DC supply with ammeterProvides stable current from 0 - 3 A.
Ruler or linear railMarks measurement points at 0.5 cm spacing.
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