How does a homopolar motor work for kids

Copper wire, which conducts electricity, is made into a shape that connects the two ends of the battery, creating a continuous flow of electricity. The current travels through the copper wire back to the battery to complete the circuit. The magnets in this experiment also have a positive end and a negative end creating a magnetic force that moves up towards the battery. This electromagnetic opposing force causes an outward motion, forcing the wire to spin in a circular motion.

This electromagnetic force is called the Lorentz force which is pretty awesome eh?? The electric motor was first discovered by Michael Faraday back in Now that is your physics lesson for the day for more check this article out , lets get to how you can make these awesome motors.

Take your copper wire and cut off about 8 inches you can always shorten it later depending on what design you make. Take your copper wire and fold it in half and squeeze the bend together with your pliers. Pinch the folded part with your pliers and grab each end of the wire and bend it up. This pinched end will lay on the positive end of the battery.

Bend the wire again the same distance from the center on both sides. Measure the length of the battery and extend the wire past that length. Support this mission by becoming a sustaining member today. Get smart curated videos delivered to your inbox. Twitter Instagram. Primary Menu. Search for: Search. Watch more with these video collections:. Magnetic fields revealed in slow motion Rion Nakaya February 6, March 6, Is the humble battery the key to our low-carbon future?

The end result is worth it! Thick wire gauge works best. Find the middle of the wire using the ruler. Bend the wire into a V at the center, using the pliers. Then, bend each side perpendicular to the V you made. Lay the wire sculpture on a flat surface.

It should lay flat. If it does not, carefully straighten it using the pliers. With the sculpture on a flat surface, hold the battery up to measure its length. Put the positive end of the battery the side with a bump on it next to the V of the wire. Note where you would need to bend the ends of the wire so they meet the negative end flat side of the battery. Put the neodymium magnet on the flat bottom of the battery. This is the negative end. Stand the magnet and battery upright on a flat surface.

Rest the V of the wire on top of the positive side bump of the battery. Carefully balance the sculpture, making sure the ends of the wire bent at an angle make contact with the magnet not the battery. Remove the battery from the magnet while you work, so it does not get too hot.

You made an electric homopolar motor! The type of current this motor uses is DC or direct current. That means the flow of electricity goes in one direction only. Electricity flows from the positive end of the battery to the negative end. To complete the circuit, you used a copper wire. Copper is a metal that conducts electricity. Electricity flowed from the positive end of the battery to the negative end.

It flowed through the battery, into the wire, up the wire, and back into the positive end of the battery!