Electric motor
device · 1834 · Industrial Revolution
A machine that turns electrical energy into rotation. Moritz von Jacobi built a practical motor.
What it is made of
- Ball bearing — has part. The rotor turns on bearings.
- Electromagnet — has part. A motor’s windings are electromagnets.
Principles and materials it uses
- Electromagnetism — uses. Current in the windings creates a magnetic field that turns the rotor.
- Steel — is made of. The stator and rotor are stacked from sheets of electrical steel.
- Electrical resistance — uses. The resistance of the windings determines the losses in a motor.
Where it is used
- Electric car — is part of. One or more electric motors turn the wheels.
- Tower crane — is part of. An electric motor turns the winch.
- Elevator — is part of. An electric motor turns the winch.
- Escalator — is part of. The drive is an electric motor.
- Electric drill — is part of. An electric drill.
- Diesel locomotive — is part of. Traction motors turn the wheels.
- Electric locomotive — is part of. Traction motors.
- Tram — is part of. Electric motors.
- High-speed train — is part of. Electric traction.
- Trolleybus — is part of. An electric motor.
- Hybrid car — is part of. An electric motor.
- Quadcopter (drone) — is part of. Four electric motors.
- Hydrogen car — is part of. An electric motor.
- Hard disk drive — is part of. A spindle motor.
- Vinyl record — is part of. The turntable is an electric motor.
- Tape recorder — is part of. The tape transport.
- Walkman — is part of. A motor.
- Mechanical television — is part of. A motor turned the disk.
- Video recorder — is part of. Motors.
- Washing machine — is part of. A motor turns the drum.
- Vacuum cleaner — is part of. A motor.
- Electric fan — is part of. A motor.
- Hair dryer — is part of. A fan.
- Blender — is part of. A motor.
- Mixer — is part of. A motor.
- Electric toothbrush — is part of. A small motor.
- Tunnel boring machine — is part of. Electric motors turn the cutting heads.
- Centrifuge — is part of. A motor.
- Power steering — is part of. Electric power steering.
- Segway — is part of. Motors.
What it is a kind of
- Vibration motor — includes. A vibration motor is a tiny electric motor with an unbalanced weight.
- Servomotor — includes. A servo motor is an electric motor with a position sensor.
- Hub motor — includes. A kind of electric motor.
- Induction motor — includes. A kind of electric motor.
- Starter motor — includes. An electric motor.
Things built in a similar way
- Electric generator — works like. A generator and a motor are built the same way and differ only in the direction of energy conversion.