How a motor works

How does electricity make things spin?

A motor is a machine that turns energy into movement, like in a fan, a toy car or a mixer.

Most small motors run on electricity. Electricity goes in, and spinning movement comes out.

The secret is a magnet. Magnets push and pull each other without even touching.

Here is the clever part: when electricity flows through a wire, the wire becomes a magnet too.

• Current makes a magnet

A simple motor has a coil of wire that can spin, sitting between two fixed magnets.

When current flows, the coil becomes a magnet. One side is pushed up and the other side is pulled down. Up on one side and down on the other makes the coil turn, just like turning a steering wheel.

But there is a problem. After half a turn, the push would flip and the coil would get stuck. The fix is a commutator. It flips the current every half turn, so the coil keeps spinning the same way. So the loop is simple: current makes a push, the coil turns, the commutator flips the current, and it repeats.

• Half turn: push flips!
• A commutator and brushes

Example: a toy car. The battery sends current, the motor spins, and gears turn the wheels.

A stronger magnet or more current gives more push, so the motor spins faster and with more power. Quick check time. In short, a motor uses electricity to make a magnet that pushes and pulls, turning energy into spinning movement.

• More current = more power