Making a Motor
You can convert electrical energy into mechanical energy. Building a
simple electric motor is a great way to learn how it works. When
electricity flows through the wires inside the motor, it makes them
magnetic. The coil of wires becomes an electromagnet.
Make it work
In this electric motor the electromagnet or copper coil is connected
to a battery by a device called commutator. The commutator brushes up
the wire leads of the electromagnetic coil so that the electric current
will pass through. As the coil turns the connection of the commutator
are switching side to side and the direction of the electric current
changes. The poles of the electromagnet changes as well.
You will need
- X-Acto knife
- battery
- electrical tape
- wood for the base
- screws
- copper wire
- clear tape
- 2 angle brackets
- split-pin clips
- balsa-wood block
- 2 strong magnets
- thin copper tube
- metal spindle
- alligator clips/paper clips
Procedure:
- Prepare a piece of soft wood or cut the base board out of a
piece of balsa wood.
- Ask an adult to drill a hole through the length of a small block of
balsa wood. The hole should be wide enough for the copper tube to fit
through.
- Ask an adult to cut grooves along two edges of the balsa-wood block
with an X-Acto knife. Wrap copper wire tightly around the block.
Insulate one end of the copper tube with clear tape.
- Fix the ends of the
copper wire in place over the clear tape with insulating tape.
- Screw the angle brackets to the base board. Stick on the magnets,
positioning them so that they attract one another.
- Ask an adult to drill
three holes along the center of the board to stand the split pins in.
- Thread the metal spindle through the split pins and the balsa-wood
block so that the coil is suspended and can turn easily.
- Now make the commutator. The wires from the battery need to touch the
ends of wire from the electromagnetic coil without stopping the coil
from spinning. Strip some of the plastic from the ends of the wires and
bend them inward. Follow the illustration on the left.
- Screw the electrical wires into position
so that the commutator connection is firmly fixed in place and cannot
move. You may have to experiment a bit to get the screws positioned in
the right place. Now connect the battery!
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