ELECTRIC MOTORS
"The Green Machine" Worksheet

Purpose:
To build an electric motor, and measure its potential.

Materials:

• thin copper wire
• sandpaper
• a cylinder for making a coil (spool)
• 2 electrical clips
• transparent tape
• rubber band
• small plastic cup
• 2 safety pins
• D cell
• 2 refrigerator magnets

Method:
The figure below, A Basic Electric Motor, shows the motor to be built and operated. Use this figure to build the motor and make it work.

1. If you have trouble making the motor work, check with your teacher to see what adjustments may need to be made. When you are successful, find as many ways as you can to make the motor change its direction of rotation.

2. Experiment by adding a second magnet to see if you change the speed of the motor. What happens? Does the orientation of the second magnet make a difference? Try placing a pair of attracting magnets atop the battery in place of the single magnet. What do you observe?

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