Electric Motors

An electric motor is a machine that converts electrical energy into mechanical energy. Therefore, it turns electricity into movement. 

Electric motors are used for various different things. Fans, blowers and pumps, machine tools, household appliances, power tools, disk drives and many other things all use electric motors. 

Electric motors can operate on direct current (DC) sources or alternating current (AC) sources. DC sources include batteries and motor vehicles. AC sources come from power grids, inverters, or generators. 

Motors have been around since the 1700s. The first DC electric motor capable of turning machinery was invented by William Sturgeon, a British scientist in 1832. After that, more complex motors began being built by many different men, each with more power. Electric motors revolutionized industries and made things a lot easier. They became extremely popular. 

There are many different parts to a motor. 

1. First there is the rotor. The rotor is the moving part of a motor that turns the shaft, which delivers mechanical power. 
2. A power supply, such as a battery, supplies the electrical energy for the motor. The motor then is able to convert this energy into mechanical energy. 
3. The field magnet is a magnet created by wrapping coils around metal. When these coils are attached to the power supply, they create a field magnet which has stationary poles. These poles will attract to the electromagnet and make the motor spin. The field magnet is stationary and does not move in most motors. 
4. A commutator is used to switch the input of machines. There are stationary brushes in constant contact with the spinning commutator. This causes current reversals which keep the motor spinning. 

Motors are extremely important to our modern day world but often go unnoticed. They make everyday machines function.