14.

8 THE ELECTRIC MOTOR

The electric motor converts electrical energy into kinetic energy, usually in the form of rotation.
Electric motors depend on the magnetic effect of an electric current. You may study this effect
later in a physics course, but for now we will focus on
the diagram (left) which shows the principle of the
electric motor. The stationary, outer part of the motor
N is called the stator. The most important part of this is a
iron core large magnet whose north and south poles are shown
in the diagram. The rotating, inner part of the motor is
commutator called the rotor. The rotor consists of a coil of wire
coil wrapped around an iron core. The core, and a device
brush called a commutator, are attached to an axel that is
free to rotate. The two ends of the wire in the coil are
brush connected to the two sides of the commutator. These
stator two sides are conductors and they are separated by
magnet strips of insulator. The commutator is connected to
S two electric terminals through two brushes (usually
stator made of graphite) that brush against it as it rotates.
axel magnet
terminals
When the terminals are connected to a suitable
battery, electricity flows through the coil on the rotor
and the rotor becomes a magnet. In the diagram, the
north pole of the rotor magnet is at the top and the south pole is at
the bottom. It is well known that like magnetic poles repel, and unlike
poles attract. The top of the rotor is repelled by the north pole of the
stator (on its left) and attracted to the south pole of the stator (on its
right). The bottom of the rotor is repelled by the south pole of the
stator and attracted to the north pole. These magnetic forces all
combine to make the rotor rotate clockwise. Without the commutator,
the rotor would stop as soon as it was horizontal. However at that
point the brushes make contact with the opposite side of the
commutator! Now electricity flows through the coil in the opposite
direction so the poles on the rotor are reversed. They are now attracted to the opposite sides of
the stator so the rotor continues to rotate clockwise. The picture (right) is the rotor from a small
electric motor. This one has three coils but the principle is the same. A large electric motor may
have many coils.
In the modern world,
electric motors are
used in many ways;
in fans, hair dryers,
food mixers, vacuum
cleaners and the
compressor pumps
in refrigerators and
air conditioners.
They are also used
in DVD and CD
players, the hard
drives of computers,
sewing machines,
power tools, and the
starter motors in cars
and trucks. Electric
motors are much
more efficient than internal combustion engines
with efficiencies of about 80 90%. A little Dynamos and alternators are like electric
energy is wasted by friction between the motors used backwards; they convert kinetic
energy into electricity. If you use another machine
brushes and the commutator and brushes have to spin the axel of a suitable motor, it will
to be replaced when they wear out. generate an electric current. A dynamo (which
1. In an electric motor what are (i) a stator magnet, (ii) a has a commutator) produces ordinary direct
rotor, (iii) a commutator, (iv) a brush, (v) a terminal? current (DC). An alternator (which has no
2. List all the things you can think of, that you have ever commutator) produces alternating current (AC).
used, that have electric motors in them. AC reverses direction many times a second. AC
3. For a motor, what does an efficiency of 85% mean? electricity is used for many purposes, and it can
easily be converted to DC if required.

14-8