Spiral motor

Employ magnetism to build more creative devices!

Difficulty:
Danger:
Duration:
5 minutes

Safety

  • Carefully review the general safety advice on the back of the box cover before starting the experiment.
  • Read the "Magnets and electricity" and "Working with batteries" sections of the safety guidelines carefully before proceeding. Do not let children under 8 years old handle small magnets.
  • Read the “Working with Batteries” section of the safety guidelines carefully before proceeding.
  • Disassemble the setup after the experiment.

Disposal

  • Dispose of used batteries in accordance with local regulations.
  • Dispose of solid waste together with household garbage.

Scientific description

  • Spiral motor

Connecting the terminals of the battery through the wire, magnet, and screw forms a closed circuit. Electrons start running through the circuit from the battery’s “–” terminal to its “+” terminal (mind the polarity). This directed movement of electrons through a circuit is called electric current. When the elements of a circuit through which current is flowing are subjected to a magnetic field, \coloredtext[Black]{Lorentz force} begins to push them. In our configuration, this force acts on the wire of the coil, causing it to begin to rotate around its axis.