Simple Motor

DCS Code: 5K40.11 Last Updated: March 27, 2026
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Purpose

A simple homemade DC motor demonstrates the force on a current-carrying conductor in a magnetic field (\(\vec{F} = I\vec{L} \times \vec{B}\)). Students see electrical energy converted to rotational kinetic energy and learn why commutation is needed for continuous rotation.

Simple motor: wire coil mounted on a coffee cup with a permanent magnet behind it, on a wooden base with wire contacts for a 9V battery
Figure 1:
Demo Apparatus