Bhandari Public School

Physics Investigatory Project

NAME: Anany Soni

CLASS: XII
ROLL N0:
SESSION: 2024-25

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 CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that

Anany Soni
has successfully completed his Physics
project titled
DC MOTOR

under the supervision and guidance of

PHYSICS TEACHER
Himansu Singh Suman
in the partial fulfillment of the Physics practical
assessment conducted during the
academic year
2024-2025.

EXAMINER TEACHER

_______________ ______________

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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to express my immense gratitude to

Himansu Singh Suman for the help
my physics teacher __________________
and guidance he/she provided for completing this
project.

I also thank my parents who gave their ideas and

inputs in making this project. Most of all I thank
our school management, for providing us the
facilities and opportunity to do this project.

Lastly, I would like to thanks my classmates who

have done this project along with me. Their
support made this project fruitful.

-Anany Soni

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 INDEX

CONTENT PAGE NO.

Certificate 02

Acknowledgement 03

Topic 05

Introduction 06

Working Principle 09

Materials required 10

How to build a Motor? 11-12

Circuit Diagram 13

How DC Motor actually work? 14

Troubleshooting 15

Application of DC Motor 16-17

Precautions 18

Bibliography 19

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 TOPIC

INVESTIGATORY PROJECT ON
DC MOTOR

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 INTRODUCTION

A DC motor is any of a class of rotary electrical machines that converts

direct current electrical energy into mechanical energy. The most common
types rely on the forces produced by magnetic fields. Nearly all types of DC
motors have some internal mechanism, either electromechanical or
electronic, to periodically change the direction of current flow in part of the
motor.

DC motors were the first type widely used, since they could be powered from
existing direct-current lighting power distribution systems. A DC motor's speed
can be controlled over a wide range, using either a variable supply voltage or by
changing the strength of current in its field windings. Small DC motors are used
in tools, toys, and appliances. The universal motor can operate on direct current
but is a lightweight brushed motor used for portable power tools and appliances.
Larger DC motors are used in propulsion of electric vehicles, elevator and
hoists, or in drives for steel rolling mills. The advent of power electronics has
made replacement of DC motors with AC motors possible in many applications.

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 EVOLUTION OF DC MOTOR

The invention of the DC (direct current) motor can be attributed to multiple

inventors and engineers who made significant contributions over:

➢ Michael Faraday (1821): Michael Faraday, an English scientist,

discovered electromagnetic induction, which laid the foundation for the
development of electric motors. Faraday demonstrated that a conductor
moving through a magnetic field produced an electric current.

➢ William Sturgeon (1832): William Sturgeon, an English physicist,

created the first practical DC electric motor. He constructed a device
known as the "Sturgeon's wheel," which consisted of a rotating copper
disc between the poles of a horseshoe magnet.

➢ Thomas Davenport (1834): Thomas Davenport, an American

blacksmith and inventor, is credited with building the first practical DC
motor in the United States. His motor used a rotary wheel design with a
battery as the power source.

➢ Hippolyte Pixii (1832): Hippolyte Pixii, a French instrument maker,

developed the first alternating current (AC) generator, known as the Pixii
generator. While not a DC motor, it played a significant role in the
advancement of electrical machines.

➢ Thomas Edison (1871): Thomas Edison, an American inventor,

improved the design of the DC motor by developing a practical and
efficient version. He received a patent for his DC motor design, which
featured a multipolar armature and a commutator.

➢ Nikola Tesla (1888): Nikola Tesla, a Serbian-American inventor and

engineer, introduced the concept of the induction motor, which operates

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 on AC. Although not directly related to the DC motor, Tesla's work on
alternating current had a profound impact on the development of
electrical machines.

➢ Frank J. Sprague (1886): Frank J. Sprague, an American engineer and

inventor, made significant advancements in DC motor technology. He
developed the first successful DC traction system for electric streetcars,
using multiple parallel-connected motors for improved performance and
control.
➢ Further Refinements: Over the years, engineers and inventors continued
to refine and improve DC motor designs, focusing on aspects such as
efficiency, control, and size. Advancements in materials, manufacturing
techniques, and electronics led to the development of more compact,
powerful, and efficient DC motors.

DC Motor in its developmental phase

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 WORKING PRINCIPLE OF DC MOTOR

▪ Electric motor is a device which converts electrical energy into

mechanical energy.

When a wire (coil) that carries current is placed in the region of

space that has magnetic field, the wire (coil) experiences a force.

The amount of force depends on:

1] The amount of current flowing in the wire/Loop
2] Length of wire/Number of loops
3] Strength of magnetic field

Direction of force depends on:

1] Direction of Current in the wire (Coil)
2] Direction of magnetic field

Note: - Fleming's right-hand rule / Right hand palm rule is used to determine the
direction of force if the direction of current and magnetic field is already known

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 HOW TO BUILD A MOTOR?

Materials Required:
1. Cardboard

2. 9V Battery

3. Battery connector

4. A round magnet (used in speakers)

5. Some copper wire (0.2mm)

6. 2 Thin Copper pin

7. 2 Big safety pins

8. On/Off switch

➢ Procedure

• Starting in the centre of the wire, wrap the wire tightly and neatly around the
marker 30 times.

• Slide off the coil you made on the marker.

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• Wrap each loose end of the wire around the coil a few times to hold it
together, then point the wires away from the loop, as shown below:

• Use knife to remove the wire insulation on each free

end of the coil, as shown below:

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• Thread each loose end of the wire coil through the large eye of a needle. Try
to keep the coil as straight as possible without bending the wire ends.

• Connect the battery across the two needles.

• Now place a magnet below the coil.

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 DC MOTOR CIRCUIT DIAGRAM

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 HOW DC MOTOR ACTUALLY WORK?

The metal, needles, and wire created a closed loop circuit that can carry current.
Current flows from the negative terminal of the battery, through the circuit, and
to the positive terminal of the battery. Current in a closed loop also creates its
own magnetic field, which you can determine by the "Right Hand Rule." Making a
"thumbs up" sign with your right hand, the thumb points in the direction of the
current, and the curve of the fingers show which way the magnetic field is
oriented.
In our case, current travels through the coil you created, which is called the
armature of the motor. This current induces a magnetic field in the coil, which
helps explain why the coil spins.
Magnets have two poles, north and south. North-south interactions stick
together, and north-north and south-south interactions repel each other.
Because
the magnetic field created by the current in the wire is not perpendicular to the
magnet taped to the battery, at least some part of the wire's magnetic field will
repel and cause the coil to continue to spin.
So why did we need to remove the insulation from only one side of each wire?
We need a way to periodically break the circuit so that it pulses on and off in
time with the rotation of the coil. Otherwise, the copper coil's magnetic field
would align with the magnet's magnetic field and stop moving because both
fields would attract each other. The way we set up our engine makes it so that
whenever current is moving through the coil (giving it a magnetic field), the coil
is in a good position to be repelled by the stationary magnet's magnetic field.
Whenever the coil isn't being actively repelled (during those split-second
intervals where the circuit is switched off), momentum carries it around until it's
in the right position to complete the circuit, induce a new magnetic field, and be
repelled by the stationary magnet again.
Once moving, the coil can continue to spin until the battery is dead. The reason
that the magnet only spins in one direction is because spinning in the wrong
direction will not cause the magnetic fields to repel each other, but attract.

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 TROUBLESHOOTING

▪ Has the rotor been stripped correctly? Hold the plane of the loop so that it is
oriented vertically. One of the straight sections of the rotor should be
stripped completely (from rotor to end); the other straight section should be
stripped on the top only.

▪ Is the circuit complete? Check each connection: red lead to thumbtack,

thumbtack to paperclip, paperclip to stripped section of rotor, other stripped
section of rotor to other paperclip, paperclip to thumbtack, thumbtack to
black lead. Any break in the circuit will prevent current from flowing and
thereby prevent motor from working.

▪ Is the rotor level and directly above the magnet? Adjust the rotor, paperclip
supports and magnet until both straight sections of the rotor are perfectly
horizontal, both paperclips supports are at the same height, and the magnet
is directly underneath the rotor when the rotor is oriented so that the plane
of the loop is vertical.

▪ Is the rotor close to the magnet? The magnetic field is strongest nearest to
the magnet. When the plane of the rotor is oriented vertically, the bottom of
the rotor should be as close to the magnet (without touching) as possible.

▪ Is the battery providing power? Use a voltmeter or multi-meter to check the

voltage of the battery or simply replace with a fresh 9-volt battery.

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 APPLICATION OF DC MOTOR

✓ Electric vehicles: DC motors are used in electric cars and motorcycles to

drive the wheels efficiently.

✓ Robotics: DC motors provide the necessary torque and speed control for
robotic systems, enabling precise movements.
✓ Industrial machinery: DC motors are found in conveyors, pumps,
mixers, and other industrial equipment, providing reliable power
transmission.
✓ HVAC systems: DC motors are used in fans, blowers, and air
conditioning units to regulate airflow and temperature control.
✓ Aerospace industry: DC motors are utilized in aircraft systems for
applications such as fuel pumps, flap control, and landing gear operation.
✓ Medical devices: DC motors power various medical equipment,
including surgical tools, centrifuges, and prosthetic limbs.
✓ Computer peripherals: DC motors are employed in printers, scanners,
disk drives, and other computer hardware components.
✓ Home appliances: DC motors are used in appliances like washing
machines, refrigerators, and vacuum cleaners for tasks such as agitating,
compressing, and suction.
✓ Electric power tools: DC motors drive power tools such as drills, saws,
and screwdrivers, providing high torque and control.

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 ✓ Actuators: DC motors act as actuators in control systems, allowing
precise movement and positioning in applications like valves, dampers,
and servomechanisms.
✓ Textile industry: DC motors drive spinning machines, looms, and other
textile machinery, facilitating the production process.

✓ Electric bicycles: DC motors power electric bicycles, assisting with

pedalling and providing additional speed.
✓ Camera lenses: DC motors are used in autofocus mechanisms in
cameras, enabling quick and accurate focusing.
✓ Electric gates and garage doors: DC motors drive the opening and
closing mechanisms in gates and garage doors for convenient access
control.
✓ Toys and entertainment: DC motors are utilized in various toys,
including remote-controlled cars, model trains, and drones, providing
motion and functionality.

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 PRECAUTIONS

▪ All the connection should be neat and tight.

▪ Remove the insulation of the copper wire at both tips.

▪ Make sure the magnet used is enough strong to rotate the coil
continuously.

▪ The copper wire should not be thicker than 0.2mm

▪ If the coil is not rotating by itself, just give a push to rotate.

▪ The coil should be oriented in the balance position.

▪ The coil should be balance in such a way that its all mass is on to the
both pin

▪ Make sure you don’t use Iron pin in the coil

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 BIBLIOGRAPHY

▪ Wikipedia.com

▪ Google search engine

▪ www.youtube.com

▪ Physics NCERT book for class XII

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