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An electric motor converts electrical energy into kinetic energy (rotational motion). It works by using the motor effect — a current-carrying coil in a magnetic field experiences a force that makes it rotate. This lesson covers the DC motor and its components. It maps to AQA GCSE Combined Science Trilogy (8464) specification section 6.7.2.
A simple DC (direct current) motor consists of:
graph TD
subgraph "DC Motor Components"
A["Rectangular coil of wire"] --- B["Permanent magnets (N and S poles)"]
B --- C["Split-ring commutator"]
C --- D["Carbon brushes"]
D --- E["DC power supply"]
end
| Component | Function |
|---|---|
| Rectangular coil | Carries the current in the magnetic field; experiences the motor effect force |
| Permanent magnets | Provide the external magnetic field |
| Split-ring commutator | Two half-rings that reverse the current direction every half turn |
| Carbon brushes | Maintain electrical contact between the external circuit and the spinning commutator |
| DC power supply | Provides the current |
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