How Electric Motors Work
by Anonymous · ⭐ 1 · 🍴 0
In Magnet Field, place a compass at several spots around a magnet to read the field's direction, then confirm that a current-carrying wire makes exactly the same kind of field around itself. In A Pushed Wire, flip only the current direction or only the field direction and watch the force on the wire reverse — flip both together and the force returns to its original direction. In A Spinning Motor, switch the commutator off and the coil judders to a stop after half a turn because the force reverses; switch it on and the commutator flips the current every half turn, keeping the coil spinning the same way. The secret to a motor that never stops turning turns out to be the commutator.
About this app
How Electric Motors Work is an interactive science simulation for exploring the relationship between electric current, magnetic fields, force, and rotation. Move a compass around a magnet, reverse current and magnetic-field directions to observe changes in force, and compare a motor with its commutator switched on or off.
Use cases
- Middle-school students learning electromagnetism
- Teachers demonstrating magnetic fields and motor force
- Learners exploring direction rules through hands-on controls
- Science classrooms reviewing commutators and simple motors
Features
- Move a compass among four positions around a magnet to read field direction
- Reverse wire current and observe the surrounding magnetic field reverse
- Flip current or field direction to see the wire force change
- Flip both directions to compare the force with its original direction
- Toggle the commutator and push the coil to compare continuous spinning with juddering and stopping
- Step through guided missions with reset and next controls