Q&A for How to Build a Simple Electric Motor

The article is actually referring to sandpaper. You use sandpaper because the wire used for making the coil is enameled copper wire, which means the copper wire has an insulation coating. To ensure that there is proper contact between the coil end and the battery lead, you need to remove this enamel coating. So you use sandpaper to rub it off.

Other than a learning experience, not much. This motor is fairly weak, and won't generate enough power to move anything. It will make a great science fair project, however.

Electric motors have many uses. Motors which are used in simple circuits help in giving a better understanding of electricity, motion and technology to the students. Large motors used in cars or locomotives help in motion. Motors are a key component of the industrial world and the technological advances we are all familiar with today.

If your wires are getting too hot, you could increase the wire size (thickness/gauge) or decrease the amount of power (use a smaller battery). Since it isn't turning, I would avoid decreasing the power. Try a thicker wire.

In short, the current moving through the wire generates a magnetic field. This field interacts with the magnet that you introduce.

In general, the number of turns affects the torque and speed of the motor. If the number of turns increases, the motor will become slower (slow speed), but have more torque - application for heavier weights. If the number of turns decreases, the motor will become faster (fast speed), but have less torque - application for lighter weights.

The principles are the same as the basic electric motor. A larger engine is used to generate more power through rotation and that power is transferred to the wheels via the driveshaft.

Yes, you can use a thin wire, but this will increase the resistance as resistance is inversely proportional to the area of cross-section of the wire. Electricity consumption will consequently increase.

Copper wires can be insulated easily and current can pass easily from them. You can get copper wires from a hardware store.

I recommend using some insulated 22G wire, but any type of wire should work.

It gets power from the voltage source, which is the battery. It must carry 9 or 4 volts to be powerful.

Yes. If the procedures are followed the engine will work.

You might need to add more magnets or make the coil closer to the magnet.

You can use other tape or clay to ensure the battery and needles stay attached. As long as the material is non-conductive, it will work.

In the situation above, no. The magnet and battery would not be powerful enough to move much.

No, but it is easier than a square or toroid.

You'll have to strip the ends of the wire, but the rest of the wire doesn't matter too much.

It doesn't generate electricity. It consumes electric power to create mechanical power.

It means to wrap the wire around the pencils in a kind of circle, starting in the middle of the wire.

A magnetic field will be formed in the circuit, so it works the same way as the force when you attempt to put two magnets together.

No, because it needs electricity for the production of magnetic waves around the coils.

The direction of the motor will change depending on which way you have your battery facing.

Voltage does not matter at all, it could be 2 volts, all that matters is current.

It depends on how thick the iron wire is. As long as it's thin enough to bend like the copper wire mentioned in the article, then yes, you can use it.

It does not matter, but smaller gauges have more resistance. Don't use too much current or they will melt.

Make sure if you add more layers of wire that they go in the same direction, otherwise they will cancel out and make everything a living nightmare. I know from personal experience that's the last thing people expect.

Your motor is powered by the battery. You could just replace the motor with a lamp, and then you'd have a flashlight. What you are looking for is a generator, not a motor. For a generator, you would essentially run this experiment in reverse -- remove the battery (replacing with a lamp) and turn the motor by hand, generating electricity as the magnetic flux is crossed by the conductors in the winding. In practice, you would need to turn the "motor/generator" very fast in order to generate enough electricity to noticeably brighten a lamp.

You can use a different type of wire, but it needs to allow current to pass. You can use paper clips for your motor.

Just a normal copper wire, as long as it's insulated so that you don't get electrocuted.

Make sure to only remove the insulation from the ends of the wire that are sticking out. Don't have any of the wire within the coil stripped, and make sure your connections are secure.