Motors

​Electric Motors

​By: Jon (Jack) Bengfort, Sutton Lohman, Jackson Purreault, Melia Kearns

​ Let's see what you guys already know about electric motors. For the first question, you will make your best guess on how you think electric motors work.

​ Electric motors consist of many different components that all work together in unison. Lets take a closer look at the different parts and how they work.

​Coil of Copper Wire

​ These are two different variations of coils of copper wire

​ The copper coil sits in the middle of the contraption. It is connected to many parts of the motor. Most importantly it connects to a metal rod. The coil of copper wire spins and it causes the metal rod and many other things to spin that ends up causing the tires to move.

​Metal Rod

​A metal rod is a long and skinny piece of metal that is made out of carbon steel. This piece of metal is connected to the coil of copper wire and it is also connected to the gears in the cars transmission system. When the coil of copper wire spins, the metal rod spins as well.

​Magnets

​ Magnetic field when two permanent magnets are facing opposite directions

​Magnetic field when two permanent magnets are facing the same direction

​ On two sides of the copper coil there are two permanent magnets. One of the magnets is oriented so that the south pole is facing the coil. The other permanent magnet is oriented so that the north pole is facing the coil of copper wire. The strength and force of the permanent magnets, is what makes the copper coil spin in different directions with a certain level of force and strength.

​Battery

​A car battery is often in a big box shape like what is seen above

​The car battery is what provides energy into the copper coil. This battery is able to turn on and off in short periods of time and is able to produce different amounts of energy every time. The battery is connected to the copper coil by little pieces of copper from the ends of the coils.

• ​In order for the copper coil to spin in the direction of the magnetic forces, it also has to be magnetic

• Because copper is not magnetic like iron, it is a kind of magnet called an electromagnet

• An electromagnet, is a kind of magnet that is magnetic because of the energy that flows through it

• In order of the copper coil to have energy it has to be connected to some sort of battery

• This is how the electric motor is able to turn on and off

• When there is no energy flowing through the copper coil, it stops moving which then stops the metal rod and then the gears, causing the wheels to stop turning and come to a complete stop

​Electromagnets

• ​ In order to keep the motor spinning, we have to change the direction of the poles of the electromagnet from north to south and vice versa

• When we do this, the coil flips again so that the new north pole is facing the permanent north pole

• This process happens over and over again so that the copper coil is constantly spinning

• In order to switch the poles we have to change the direction of the electric current in the electromagnet

• There is a device in the circuit that changes the current from clockwise to counter clockwise and back again, over and over

• This changes the poles of the coil back and forth so the coil will continue to spin.

​Magnetic Poles

Multiple Choice

How do Electric motors work?

• Magic

• The expanding combustion gases push the piston, which in turn rotates the crankshaft.

• A metal rod connects the coil to the gears. When the coil spins, it spins the gears, which then spin the wheels.

Multiple Choice

How many permanent magnets are there?

• 1

• 2

• 3

• 4

Multiple Choice

What direction do the two permanent magnets face?

• Both of the north sides face the copper coil

• Both of the south sides face the copper coil

• One south side and one north side face the copper coil

• There are no permanent magnets, only electromagnets