Teach Kids How to Make a Simple Electric Motor

Science fair project for kids 3rd to 6th grade - What you are going to be learning here today are the simple steps that you can take to make a simple electric motor. This knowledge is vital as you can use it for experimentation or even for the purpose of carrying out your projects. The motor that you will be building is a simple version of the ones that you can find in your household appliances. Just follow the steps carefully that are below and you will be able to make your first simple electric motor.

Step 1: Creating your own magnetic coil
Get a paper tube as well as copper wire that is thin and coated. Now use the wire should be used to round the paper tube for a period of about ten times. Please note that when doing this the start and end of the copper wire should be loose. This means your wrapping should be in the middle part of the coated copper wire

Step 2
Now you can remove the paper tube and see how the coil will look like. If you need to add maybe a tape to make the coil stick together after removing the tube then do it.

Step 3: Begin the building of the base
Get a cup or container and then drill about 4 holes in it. Drill two holes by the side of the cup or container (two for top and two for bottom). The ones at the top should be 1/2inch from the cup’s top while then ones at the bottom should be 1/2inch from the down part of the cup.

Step 4
For the holes that you have drilled, you need 2 long and thick wires that will have length of three times the cup that you are using. Take the first one and pass it through the down part of the cup to its inside and let it come out at the top hole. Do the same for the other wire.

Step 5
Have the cup turned upside down and place a magnet on top of it. Now have another magnet place on the other side of the cup to get hold of the first magnet. Like two magnets sticking together. Or simply put, the magnets should be placed in such a way that the only demarcation between them is the bottom of the cup.

Step 6
You will need to sand both ends of the wires that you have passed through the cup and then get them prepared to get connected to your batteries.

Step 7
Have the wires adjusted properly so that they can be able to support the coil. And bend the wires on the bottom side of the cup like this.

Step 8
You will need to have a perch created for the coil. To do this, continue having the wires bent. This is to ensure that there is no space between the magnet and the coil.

Step 9
You will need to sand the wires. Make sure that the coil is closest to the magnet when you do the sanding. If you need to do wire coating then use a permanent marker as it will enable the copper wire to spin.

Step 10
Once you are through with having to sand the wires you can then have your battery connected and that is it you just made your first electric motor.