Physics Home > Teaching Labs > Electricity & Magnestism > Electric Motor

Topics

Points of Emphasis

Prerequisites

Lab Activities

In this lab the students construct an electric motor from very simple materials. Making a motor that works is relatively easy. Making one that runs very fast takes a little more thought and ingenuity. The battery charger in the picture below is the power supply for the motor. The motor can also be powered by two D-Cell batteries.

Course Level

Introductory: P4, P14, P16

Student Handouts

Equipment

Number of set-ups available: 10 Per lab station: 1 battery charger 1 pair of wire cutters 1 needle nose pliers 1 box cutter/razor blade 2 motor kits (per lab session) Motor Kit Contents: 1 block of wood 2 ceramic magnets 2 paper clips 2 thumb tacks 1 length of enameled wire 1 small square of sandpaper

Notes

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