Unit

21

Electric
Electric motors
motors are
are machines
machines thatthat use
use
magnetism
magnetism andand electricity
electricity to
to make
make things
things move.
move.
We
We use d.c. motors to drive electric trains. The
use d.c. motors to drive electric trains. The
electric current is supplied to the train from
electric current is supplied to the train from
overhead
overhead wires
wires or
or from
from the
the rails
rails below.
below.

Electromagnetism
 contents

ƒ Force on a Current-carrying Conductor

ƒ D.C. Motors

ƒ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQdLFEiVeCA
 Unit 21.1: Magnetic Effect of a Current
Demonstrating the magnetic effect of a
current—Oersted’s Experiment
• When the circuit is closed, a
compass A placed above the
wire XY would point to the
East. Another compass B is
placed below the wire would
point to the West.
• A current-carrying conductor
produces a magnetic field
around it.

Fig. 21.4 Oersted’s

experiment
 A Straight Wire

1. A straight wire carrying a current produces

circular lines of force.
What happens when the direction of current is
reversed?
The direction of the magnetic field will also be
reversed!
 A Straight Wire

The strength of the magnetic field in a

straight wire is stronger when

• (the circular lines of force are closer) i.e.

nearer the wire
• a larger current flows through it.
Direction of arrow

Direction of current or
magnetic field
 current is directed
out of paper
(point of arrow)

current is directed
into paper
(tail of arrow)

Current-carrying wire is perpendicular to the

plane of board.
 A Flat Circular Coil

A flat coil carrying a

current produces
circular lines of force
around the wires and
almost parallel lines of
force in the middle.
 Unit 21.1: Magnetic Effect of a Current
Test Yourself 21.1
1. A current flows in a long straight wire in the direction shown in
Figure 21.17. Draw, in the diagram, the pattern and direction of the
magnetic field produced.

Answer:
 Unit 21.1: Magnetic Effect of a Current
Test Yourself 21.1
2. (a) Draw the magnetic field lines around a current-carrying solenoid.
(b) Name three ways to increase the magnetic field strength of a solenoid.
Answer:
(a)

Fig 21.9 pp 418

(b) 3 ways to increase magnetic field of solenoid:

• Increase the no. of turns per unit length of the solenoid,
• Increase the magnitude of the current
• Place a soft iron core in the solenoid.
 force on a current-carrying
2. Current-carrying conductor conductor
The setup investigates the interaction between a current and
a magnetic field.
soft iron thick bare
c-core wire

2V power
pack or
lead-acid
accumulator

powerful
magnadur
magnet
 force on a current-carrying
3. Fleming’s left-hand rule
conductor
The direction of the force can be deduced by using this rule.

Motion
Motion Field
Field
(thumb)
(thumb) (first
(first finger)
finger)

Current
Current
(second
(second finger)
finger)

the fingers are at right

angles to one another
 force on a current-carrying
Fleming’s left-hand rule
conductor
To explain the force exerted on the wire, consider the
combined magnetic fields due to the current flowing through
the straight wire and the magnets.

magnetic field between magnetic field due to the

two magnadur magnets current in the wire
 force on a current-carrying
Fleming’s left-hand rule
conductor
The two fields acting in the same direction combine to give
a stronger field, but the two fields opposing each other
combine to give a weaker field.
The unbalanced fields on both sides exert produce a force
that exerts on the wire.

combined magnetic field

 Further explanation Unit 21.2: Force on
Current-carrying Conductors
Worked Example 21.1
Figure 21.20(a) shows a wire placed between two magnetic poles.
(a) If the current in the wire flows from A to B, in which direction does
a force act on the wire?
(b) What will happen if the current flows from B to A instead?

Fig. 21.20(a)
 Unit 21.2: Force on Current-carrying Conductors
Worked Example 21.1 – Solution
(a) By using Fleming’s Left-Hand Rule, we find that the force acts
vertically downward on the wire AB (Figure 21.20(b)).
(b) If the current flows from B to A, the force reverses in direction and
acts vertically upward.

Fig. 21.20(b)
 Unit 21.2: Force on Current-carrying Conductors
Why does a current-carrying conductor experience a force when
placed in a magnetic field?

Fig. 21.21(a) & (b) Separate magnetic fields of a current

flowing through a wire and of two magnetic poles
 Unit 21.2: Force on Current-carrying Conductors
Why does a current-carrying conductor experience a force when
placed in a magnetic field?

Fig. 21.21(c) Superimposed

field patterns of (a) and (b)
 Unit 21.2: Force on Current-carrying Conductors
Why does a current-carrying conductor experience a force when
placed in a magnetic field?

Fig. 21.21(d) Combined magnetic field when the

wire is placed between the poles of the magnet
 Unit 21.2: Force on Current-carrying Conductors
Why does a current-carrying conductor experience a force when
placed in a magnetic field?
From Fig. 21.21(d), we can
see that there is a stronger
field on one side of the wire at
A, since all the magnetic field
lines are in the same direction.
At B, the combined field is
weaker due to opposing
magnetic field lines.

A force then acts on the wire

Fig 21.21(d) Combined
from the stronger field to the magnetic field when the wire
weaker field. is placed between the poles
of the magnet.
 force on a current-carrying
4. Force on a beam of conductor
charged particles
Fleming’s left hand rule can be applied to all moving charges.
The conventional
current travels in
an opposite motion field (magnetic)
direction to that of
the electron flow.
Conventional
current flow

Electron current flow

 force on a current-carrying
force on a beam of conductor
charged particles
motion (force)

direction of positively magnetic field

charged particle before
entering the magnetic field
into paper x current

x x x x x
x x x x x
positively charged
x x x x x
particle
x x x x x
path of positively
charged particle
(part of a circle)
 force on a current-carrying
force on a beam of conductor
charged particles
direction of electron or
current x
negatively charged particle magnetic field
before entering the into paper motion (force)
magnetic field

x x x x x
x x x x x
electron or
x x x x x
negatively charged
particle x x x x x
path of electron or
negatively charged particle
(part of a circle)
 Unit 21.2: Force on Current-carrying Conductors
Force on a moving charge in a magnetic field

Fig. 21.22(a) A positively charged particle in a

magnetic field is deflected upwards in a circular path.
• When a beam of positive charges enter the magnetic field
region, it is deflected upwards in a circular path as the
moving charges experience a force perpendicular to its
direction of motion.
• The direction of the force can be predicted by Fleming’s
Left-hand rule.
 Unit 21.2: Force on Current-carrying Conductors
Forces between two parallel current-carrying wires
• Currents in opposing directions cause repulsion.

Fig. 21.24 Combined magnetic field due to currents in the

opposite direction
 Unit 21.2: Force on Current-carrying Conductors
Forces between two parallel current-carrying wires
• Currents in similar directions cause attraction.

Fig. 21.25 Combined magnetic field due to currents

in the same direction.
 d.c. motors
5. Turning effect on a current carrying coil
A current-
carrying coil
placed in a
magnetic field
of a horseshoe
magnet
experiences a
turning effect.
 d.c. motors
turning effect on a current carrying coil
A catapult field is produced when the field produced by the
coil superimposes on the field of the horseshoe magnet.
 d.c. motors
turning effect on a current carrying coil
The turning effect can be increased by
ƒ increasing the number of turns on the coil
ƒ increasing the magnitude of the current
ƒ inserting a soft iron core within the coil to concentrate the
magnetic lines of force
 d.c. motors
principles of a d.c. motor
ƒ make use of the turning effect
of a current-carrying coil in
magnetic field
field to
to convert
convert
electrical energy to mechanical
(kinetic) energy
ƒ works on direct current
ƒ are the basic components in
electric fans, hair dryers and
many other electrical
appliances

an opened up d.c. motor

 d.c. motors
principles of a d.c. motor
a. when the circuit is closed, current flows from the
battery through P and X, through the coil and back
to the battery through Y and Q
ƒ using Fleming’s
left-hand rule,
the left side of
the coil
experiences a
downward force
and the right-
hand side
experiences an
equal upward
force
 d.c. motors
principles of a d.c. motor
b. this pair of forces causes the coil to rotate
anticlockwise until it reaches a vertical position
ƒ at this point,
current is cut
off because
neither X nor Y
is in contact
with P or Q
 d.c. motors
principles of a d.c. motor
(c) momentum of the coil carries it slightly beyond this
vertical position
ƒ half-ring Y will
then touch P
while X comes
into contact
with Q
ƒ turning forces
act again and
coil continues
to rotate in the
the
same direction
 d.c. motors
principles of a d.c. motor
If a soft iron cylinder is placed between the curved poles of
the magnet in a motor:
ƒ a radial field will be created
ƒ radial field keeps the pair of forces acting on the coil almost
constant as it turns
ƒ this arrangement
increases the
magnetic field
strength and
thus increases
the turning effect
for a given
current in the coil
 Unit 21.3: Force on a Current-carrying Rectangular
Coil in a Magnetic Field

How does a d.c motor work?

– When current flows through the coil ABCD, using Fleming’s left-hand
rule, a downward force will act on side AB, and an upward force on side
CD.
– The coil thus rotates anticlockwise about axis PQ until it reaches a vertical
position.
– Here, the current is cut off because X and Y are both not in contact with the
carbon brushes
– The turning effect of the coil, however, carries it past the vertical position.
– This reverses the current direction in the wire arm CD and now a
downward force acts on it.
– Similarly, an upward force acts on wire arm AB.
– Hence, the coil continues to rotate in the anticlockwise direction.
Unit 21.3: Force on a Current-carrying Rectangular
Coil in a Magnetic Field

How does a d.c motor work?

• The purpose of the split-ring commutator is to reverse
the direction of the current in the coil every half a
revolution to ensure that the coil will always turn in one
direction.
• To increase the turning effect of the coil, we can:
1. Insert a soft iron core or cylinder into the coil to
concentrate the magnetic field lines.
2. Increase the number of turns in the coil
3. Increase the current
Unit 21.3: Force on a Current-carrying Rectangular
Coil in a Magnetic Field
Key Ideas
1. The d.c. motor works on the principle that a current-carrying coil
in a magnetic field experiences a turning effect.
2. The function of a split-ring commutator is to reverse the direction
of current in the coil when the coil passes the vertical position so
that it continues to turn in the same direction.
3. The turning effect on the coil can be increased by
(a) increasing the current in the coil
(b) having more turns on the coil, or
(c) inserting a soft iron core or cylinder into the coil.
Unit 21.3: Force on a Current-carrying Rectangular
Coil in a Magnetic Field

Test Yourself 21.3

1. In the d.c. motor, what change(s) must be made so that
the coil rotates clockwise instead of anti-clockwise?

Answer:
To change the direction of rotation to turn clockwise, we
can do one of the following:
• reverse the poles of the magnets, or
• reverse the direction of the current, by switching the
terminals of the battery
 Unit 21.3: Force on a Current-carrying Rectangular
Coil in a Magnetic Field

Test Yourself 21.3

2. Explain the purpose of the rheostat in the d.c. motor.

Answer:
The resistance of the rheostat is varied so that the current flowing
in the coil can be controlled.
By lowering the resistance, the current will increase and the turning
force on the coil will increase. This results in an increased speed of
rotation.
 Unit 21.3: Force on a Current-carrying Rectangular
Coil in a Magnetic Field

Test Yourself 21.3

3. State the energy conversion that takes place in the d.c. motor.

Answer:

Electrical energy to mechanical energy.

Purpose of the split ring commutator

• To reverse the direction of the current in the coil every half a

revolution whenever the commutator changes contact from one
brush to another. This is to ensure that the current continue to
flow in the same direction in the coil.

Q: How will the p.d. against time graph look like?

 Electromagnetism

is shown by

helps to
determine the
Fleming’s direction of Force on a current-
Force on a beam
Left hand carrying conductor
of charged
rule in a magnetic field
particles in a
magnetic field
results in

Turning effect is
increased by Turning effect on
increasing a current-carrying
(a) number of turns coil
(b) current
is the basis of

Electric
Electric motor
motor