Electric motor

Question 1

How does an electric motor work?

Answer 1

• When a coil is placed inside of a magnetic field, it will experience a force and move (due to the motor effect)
• As the current is flowing in oppsite directions on opposite sides of the coil (current flows in one way and out the other), the direction in which the force will be experience will also be different
• This causes the coil inside the magnetic field to spin

Question 2

Why do we use a split ring commutator and what does it do?

Answer 2

• As the coild inside a magnetic field spins, the direction current enters will swap every half turn, this will cause the coil to spin in the opposite direction, meaning it never completes a full turn
• To overcome this, we use a split ring commutator, which swaps the positive and negative connections evrey half turn and allows the current to always flow in the same direction, allowing the coil to spin indefinately in the same direction

Question 3

How do we increase the speed of rotations in an electric motor?

Answer 3

• Increase the current that is supplied
• Increase the number of turns of the coil
• Increase the magnetic flux density by using stronger magnets