Utilisation of the magnetic sensor in a smartphone for facile magnetostatics experiment: magnetic field due to electrical current in straight and loop wires. (7th December 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Septianto, R D; Suhendra, D; Iskandar, F
• Is Part Of: Physics education. Volume 52:Number 1(2017:Jan.)
• Publication Date: 2016-12-07
• Subjects: Physics -- Study and teaching (Secondary) -- Periodicals; 530.0712
• DOI: 10.1088/1361-6552/52/1/015015
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0031-9120

Abstract

Abstract: This paper reports on the result of a research into the utilisation of a smartphone for the study of magnetostatics on the basis of experiments. The use of such a device gives great measurement result and thus it can replace magnetic sensor tools that are relatively expensive. For the best experimental result, firstly the position of the magnetic sensor in the smartphone has to be considered by way of value mapping of a magnetic field due to permanent magnet. The magnetostatics experiment investigated in this research was the measurement of magnetic field due to electrical currents in two shapes of wire, straight and looped. The current flow, the distance between the observation point and the wire, and the diameter of the loop were the variable parameters investigated to test the smartphone's capabilities as a measurement tool. To evaluate the experimental results, the measured data were compared with theoretical values that were calculated by using both an analytical and a numerical approach. According to the experiment results, the measured data had good agreement with the results from the analytical and the numerical approach. This means that the use of the magnetic sensor in a smartphone in physics experiments is viable, especially for magnetic field measurement.