The Simplest Electric Motor in the World

1 battery, 1 screw, 1 wire, 1 magnet (extra magnet saves my finger from holding wire to battery's top) - my recreation of the world's simplest motor, found on supermagnete.de
(see also: http://shifz.blogspot.com/2006/07/electromagnetic-fun-for-beginners.html )

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• magnet
• magnetic
• motor
• electromagnetic
• electronics
• faraday
• hompolar

[kaiguys]

So how do you build it and with what? need one for project!

[shifzr]

not much "building" involved: you fix the magnet to the flat end of the screw. then you place the screw beneath the battery (the magnet will make the pointed end stick to the battery.

all you got to do now is connect the top end of the battery with a wire to the SIDE of the magnet - it will start spinning. (easier with ROUND magnet! the square one has the wire lose contact between the edges, but as you see it still works)

[shifzr]

yes, a round magnet would even work better -

but the rotation is much easier to see in a low quality internet video with a square one ...

and hey, i really wouldn't know how to fake this! :)

i stumbled upon this experiment on the page where i buy magnets and was able to re-create this within minutes.

[shifzr]

@dihk: the screw is not permanently magnetized - it is held to the battery by the magnetic power of the magnet below the screw.

yes, the magnetic power-leprechaun reaches through the screw and grabs the battery ;)

[jsquid526]

Omg, all electric motors in this world work on the principle of electromagnetism. Try thinking next time b4 you post another dumbass comment

[kerpal2343]

You sound like a teacher, here someone is all excited about science and your calling them a dumbass? Come to think about it you would make a great politician/preacher too.

[dmerozie]

but how does it work what makes the magnet and the screw spin

[nicolepuff]

i'm doing this for my presentation. =]

[nonfoods1]

I sawn a tee cup rhide do dis once

[redcm000]

computer fans work like this

[johntheinze]

Round magents work better

[530Nismo]

Round magnet has always gone faster in my tests