Motor Blog

 During class we learned how to make a simple motor using a battery, rubber band, magnet, two paperclips, and come copper wire. The two paperclips were attached to either side of the batter by the rubber band. The copper wire was coiled and was held in the air above the magnet, which was stuck to the battery, by the two paperclips attached to each side of the magnet. This was the setup of our motor. The battery caused electrons to flow through the copper wire, which reacted to the magnetic field surrounding the magnet. The paper clops acted as conductors as well as a source of suspension for the wire. In order for charges to flow into the wire, the top layer of the wire needed to be scraped off in order to allow charges to run through the copper wire and complete the circuit. The armature needed to be scraped only on one side so that the wire would turn consecutively in one direction. If the wire had been scraped on both sides then it would simply turn back and forth. The motor turns simply because a current carrying wire is feeling a force from a magnetic field. If the current was flowing from left to right then the motor would turn coming towards you. If the current was flowing from left to right then the coils would move away from you. If you attached wheels to either end of the copper wire then it could be used like a car. If you attached blades instead then the motor could be used as a fan or perhaps as a blender or blending sort of contraption.