Magnetometer

Why Trust Techopedia

What Does Magnetometer Mean?

A magnetometer is a tool or instrument that measures the magnetization of an item or the force of a magnet. The magnetometer typically looks at the Earth’s magnetic field and local magnetic field in order to determine the location and vector of a magnetic force.

Advertisements

Techopedia Explains Magnetometer

Magnetometers are used extensively in different kinds of industries, including high-tech ones. One prime use of the magnetometer is in the security industry, where it is used to detect certain kinds of metals used in firearms.

Although some uses of magnetometers are currently in place in industries, others are largely theoretical. For example, the use of magnetic levitation or "maglev" trains is currently part of the transportation industry; however, individuals such as Tesla pioneer Elon Musk are now talking about theoretical high-speed tube transportation that would also use magnetic force as an energy source.

Advertisements

Related Terms

Margaret Rouse
Technology Expert
Margaret Rouse
Technology Expert

Margaret is an award-winning technical writer and teacher known for her ability to explain complex technical subjects to a non-technical business audience. Over the past twenty years, her IT definitions have been published by Que in an encyclopedia of technology terms and cited in articles by the New York Times, Time Magazine, USA Today, ZDNet, PC Magazine, and Discovery Magazine. She joined Techopedia in 2011. Margaret's idea of a fun day is helping IT and business professionals learn to speak each other’s highly specialized languages.