Observation of Force and Torque in a Current Loop

Using a Simplified Electric Motor

Kenneth Fernandez, Mario Emmanuel Sacro, and Frances Leana Capellan

Physics 72.1 FDE2
National Institute of Physics, University of the Philippines
Diliman, Quezon City 1101, Philippines
kdf_fernandez@yahoo.com , mr_sacro@yahoo.com , arkiteklea@gmail.com

I. Abstract difference between a galvanometer and a

The group replicated a DC motor to be able
to observe the force and torque present on a
current loop. The motor set-up used
permanent bar magnet on a DC Battery (size
D) coiled fifteen times with a magnetic wire.
This paper discusses our observations on how
electricity and magnetism concepts apply on
an actual motor through the aid of a simplified
motor design.
At the end of the activity, the group was able
to induce a net torque effect in the coil. The
coil either oscillates or rotates depending on
the strength of the current and/or the magnet.
With the aid of known theories on the presence
of force and torque on a current loop, the
group was able to observe how a motor works.
II. Introduction
motor is that for the latter, the current is made
to change direction every time the coil makes a
half rotation. After being forced to turn one
rotation, the coil continues in motion just in
time for the current to reverse, whereupon
instead of the coil reversing direction, it is
forced to continue another half rotation in the
same direction. This happens in cyclic fashion
to produce continuous rotation, which has
been harnessed to run clocks, operate gadgets,
and lift heavy loads [1].
The group aims to be able to create an
improvised and fully functional DC motor.
The principal goal is to be able to identify the
factors that determine how the coiled wire
from our improvised set-up rotates in a DC
motor. The direction of the magnetic field and
the current flow on a conductor will also be

A machine that converts electrical energy observed and analyzed with the aid of the

into mechanical energy is called a motor. The known governing concepts of electricity and

design of the galvanometer that was used on magnetism.

class is very similar to the design of an electric

motor. If the design of a galvanometer was III. Methodology
modified slightly, so that deflection makes a To be able to construct a simplified model of
complete rather than a partial rotation, an an electric motor, the following materials are
electric motor is produced. The principal needed: a DC Battery size D, electrical tape,

1
copper/magnetic wire, a permanent bar magnet
(or a small circular magnet if preferred), two
large safety pins, sandpaper (for smoothening
out the edges of the safety pins), scissors, long
nose pliers, and mechanical pliers.
Figure 1. Coiling the wire on the battery
The wire was coiled fifteen times around the
battery and secured to prevent relapse.
(Winding the coil more than fifteen times on
the battery will affect the magnitude of the
magnetic field strength.) Excess wire was
placed and stripped at the start and end points
of the coil to serve as rod or shaft to suspend
the coil on the support pillar provided by the
safety pins. (An alternative set-up replaces the
wire with a small circular magnet.) Once the
current was established, the circuit was
exposed to the magnetic field [2].
Figure 2
An Alternative Improvised DC Motor Set-up
with a Magnet placed on the battery
IV. Results and Discussion [3]
As noted, the principal difference between a
galvanometer and a motor is that for the latter,
the current is made to change direction every
time the coil makes a half rotation.
(1)
Equation 1 defines the magnitude of a force
present on a circular loop, where F is the
magnitude of force present on a current loop, q
is the amount of charge, v is the speed and B is
the strength of magnetic field.
For our DC motor set-up, the sum of the
forces present is zero. This is because each of
the forces present on the opposite sides of the
wire cancels out thus leaving no net force on
the system.
In theory, a magnetic dipole moment, or
simply a magnetic moment, causes the rotation
on a current loop once exposed to a magnetic
field.
(2)
Equation 2 expresses the magnetic moment
as the product of the current (I) and the area
(A).
The concept of a magnetic dipole moment is
essential in understanding why a current loop
rotates once exposed to a magnetic field. A
magnetic dipole moment quantifies the
contribution of the system's internal
magnetism to the external dipolar magnetic
field produced by the system.
(3)
Equation 3 describes the torque induced on a
circular loop as the magnetic dipole moment
2
(greek letter mu) cross the magnetic field
strength (B).
For this experiment, rotating the wire fifteen
times over the battery’s central body produced
enough dipole moment strength to induce a net
torque once the magnetic field was introduced.
The initial results, however, produced a coil
that only oscillates back and forth. This is
because for an electric motor to undergo
continuous rotation, a commutator is needed.
The magnetic moment was changing
directions and thus the fixed magnetic field
causes the coil to turn back and forth. This is
the nature of a moving magnetic moment
when exposed to a fixed magnetic field.
A member of the group touched the set-up
and gave it an initial movement/rotation
(“flick”). When this initial “flick” (that would
give momentum to the coil) is exposed to the
magnetic field, the relatively quick changing
of the magnetic moment allows the magnetic
field to induce a constant rotation since the
coil already have an induced momentum.
Hence, the result of the experiment can be
summed up on table 1.
Table 1. Experiment Result: Movement of the Loop
Distance Movement of Loop
Relatively far (about Back and Fort
4-5 inches away) movement
Near (1 inch or less) Rotates
V. Conclusion
The group noticed that the rate of rotation
increases as the distance between the magnet
and the coil decreases. The motor setup
underwent a back-and-forth rotation when the
distance of the magnet from the loop was
relatively far. This experiment had also
confirmed that by inducing a ‘flick’ or initial
movement on the DC set-up, a continuous
rotation will be generated by the motor. This is
because the momentum of the coil neglects the
inappropriate direction of the magnetic
moment that it would have to pass through.
For future experiments, we suggest using at
least two different setups of improvised motors
and use them to compare and contrast the
effect and movement of the loop.
VI. References
[1] Hewitt, P.G., Conceptual Physics, 9th ed.,
Chapter 5, Addison – Wesley / Prentice Hall
USA (2004)
[2] Dobkowska, M., Gupta, A., Majcher, A.,
Wojewoda, K., “Simple Models of An Electric
Motor”. August 6, 2008
<http://astronomy2009.saao.ac.za/fileadmin/fil
es/education/astrocd/resources/GHOU/silnicze
k_v1_eng.pdf>
[3] Young, H. & Freedman, R. University
Physics,11th ed., Chapter 27, Addison Wesley,
San Francisco California, (2004).