An Arduino-based magnetic polarity detector and field intensity display

Abstract

We have designed a simple Arduino-based device, which runs as magnetic polarity detector and field intensity display. It uses an analog Hall sensor together with the Arduino electronic board. The sign of the magnetic flux density allows us to identify the pole of a magnet or electromagnet, while the absolute value allows us to build an intensity display. This device allows us to visualize, among other topics, the basic functional dependences included into the Biot–Savart law, and particularly the changes in magnetic flux density with distance and current for a current-carrying coil or electromagnet.