Science Forums: Zolar V - Viewing Profile - Science Forums

My first thought if budget is limited would be to use string and gravity for something like this.

Tie the magnets to strings in different places, then adjust the length so that they almost, but can't quite touch. With a bit of fiddling you should be able to get them to sit in equilibrium.
Then measure the distance between and the angle.
Use your knowledge of forces (or ask if you don't know much about forces) and a measurement of the weight to work out their force on each other.

It may be easier if you use one fixed magnet and one string, then move the other end up as well as away.
Or maybe one very short string (so the magnet always faces the correct direction) and one long string.
Experiment a bit
If you have trouble with strings, it can be easier to manage a stiff rod, but it's harder to work out the forces in this case (because the rod has significant weight).

As to your exponentially increasing force hypothesis. Why did you pick exponential? Can you think of any other types of function that increase as r approaches 0?
Maybe try more than one?
If you can find other functions you could compare them to an exponential. See what fits best.