ELECTRIC MOTOR

PERFORMANCE TASK 1

______________________

Submitted by:
Clariza B. Garma
STEM 12-5

Submitted to:
Ms. Trisha Joyce Gavino, LPT
(Gen. Phy.II Teacher)

Senior High School Department General Physics II

 ELECTRIC MOTOR
Energy comes in many forms. Electric energy can be converted into
useful work, or mechanical energy, by machines called electric motors. Electric
motors work due to electromagnetic interactions: the interaction of current (the
flow of electrons) and a magnetic field.

Objectives:
 To learn about the principles of electromagnetism and how electric motors
work.
 To demonstrate the relationship between electricity and magnetism.
 To explore the relationship between the direction of current flow and the
direction of motor rotation.
 To measure the efficiency of an electric motor and explore ways to improve
it.
 To design and build a simple electric motor and investigate its properties.

Materials
▪ D battery
▪ Insulated 22G wire
▪ 2 large-eyed, long, metal sewing needles (the eyes must be large enough to
fit the wire through)
▪ Modeling clay
▪ Electrical tape
▪ Hobby knife
▪ Small circular magnet
▪ Thin marker

Modeling Clay sPlais

D Battery
SSmall circular
Magnet

Coil

Electrical
Needle Tape

Senior High School Department General Physics II

Senior High School Department General Physics II
 Procedure
1. Starting in the center of the wire, wrap the wire tightly and neatly around the
marker 30 times.

2. Slide the coil you made off of the marker.

3. Wrap each loose end of the wire around the coil a few times to hold it
together, then point the wires away from the loop, as shown:

Senior High School Department General Physics II

Senior High School Department General Physics II
 4. Ask an adult to use the hobby knife to help you remove the top-half of the
wire insulation on each free end of the coil. The exposed wire should be
facing the same direction on both sides.

5. Thread each loose end of the wire coil through the large eye of a needle. Try
to keep the coil as straight as possible without bending the wire ends.

6. Lay the D battery sideways on a flat surface.

Senior High
Senior High School
School Department
Department General Physics
General Physics II
II
 7. Stick some modelling clay on either side of the battery so it does not roll
away.

8. Take 2 small balls of modelling clay and cover the sharp ends of the needle.

9. Place the needles upright next to the terminals of each battery so that the
side of each needle touches one terminal of the battery.

Senior High School Department General Physics II

Senior High School Department General Physics II
 10.Use electrical tape to secure the needles to the ends of the battery. Your coil
should be hanging above the battery.

11.Tape the small magnet to the side of the battery so that it is centered
underneath the coil.

12.Give your coil a spin. 

Senior High School Department General Physics II

Senior High School Department General Physics II
 ELECTRIC MOTOR

Senior
Senior High
High School
School Department
Department General
General Physics
Physics II
II
 Guide Questions
1. What happens when you spin the coil in the other direction?

The motor will rotate in the opposite direction compared to when the coil
was spinning in the original direction. This change in direction is possible by
changing the polarity of the current flowing through the coil or by reversing the
direction of the current flow in the other winding of the motor.

2. What would happen with a bigger magnet?

A larger magnet would likely have a stronger magnetic field than the
original magnet. This would increase the force of interaction between the magnetic
field of the coil and the magnetic field of the magnet, resulting in greater torque
production and potentially higher motor efficiency.

3. A bigger battery?

With a bigger battery, the motor would be able to draw more current and
deliver more power, which could result in increased torque and higher roll speeds.
A bigger battery would provide more energy storage capacity, which could allow
the motor to spin for a longer period before needing to be recharged.

4. Thicker wire?

The thicker wire would also have a larger cross-sectional area, which can
allow more current to flow through it without overheating or damaging the wire.
This can enable the electric motor to produce more torque and power, leading to
higher performance.

5. Why do you think half of the wire needs to remain insulated?

Leaving half of the wire insulated in an electric motor design helps to

prevent electrical contact between the two sides of the coil and allows for proper
functioning of the commutator and brushes.

Senior High School Department General Physics II

Senior High School Department General Physics II
 Reflection
I conducted an experiment on electric motors, and it was a valuable learning
experience. Through this experiment, I gained a deeper understanding of the
principles of electricity and magnetism and how they apply to the functioning of
electric motors.

The experiment involved constructing a simple electric motor using a

battery, a coil of wire, and a permanent magnet. I started by winding a coil of wire
around a cardboard tube and connecting it to a battery. I then placed a permanent
magnet nearby and observed the interaction between the magnet and the coil.
As I connected the battery to the coil, I noticed that the coil started to rotate. This
was due to the interaction between the magnetic field produced by the coil and the
magnetic field of the permanent magnet. The interaction caused a force that acted
on the coil, causing it to rotate.

Through this experiment, I learned that the rotation of the coil is due to the
electromagnetic force that is produced when a current flows through a wire that is
placed in a magnetic field. The current in the wire creates a magnetic field, and
when it interacts with the magnetic field of the permanent magnet, a force is
generated, which causes the coil to rotate. I also learned about the importance of
the direction of the current in the wire. The direction of the current determines the
direction of the force that is produced, which in turn determines the direction of the
rotation of the coil. This was demonstrated when I reversed the direction of the
current, and the coil rotated in the opposite direction.

In conclusion, this experiment was a valuable learning experience that

helped me better understand the principles of electricity and magnetism and how
they apply to the functioning of electric motors. I learned about the importance of
the direction of the current in the wire, and how it affects the direction of the force
and the resulting rotation of the coil.

Senior High School Department General Physics II

Senior High School Department General Physics II
Senior High School Department General Physics II