Whether your child is counting down the days until they go back to school or wishing summer would last a few weeks longer, help them gear up with this fun and educational DIY motor experiment! Bring learning to life and discover the science behind simple electric motors and how they serve as a crucial part of our society today. Get ready for the perfect rainy day project or weekend family activity and make sure to share your creation with us on our Facebook page to be featured in an upcoming post! 

*Adult supervision is required when children are present around magnets. 

Gather your supplies: 

 

  • Enamel-coated magnet wire (approximately 50 inches in length) 
  • 2 metallic jumbo paper clips (1 ½ - 2 inches)
  • Fine grit sandpaper
  • 3 - 1/4" x 1/8" disc magnets 
  • Compass
  • Book (any book with a medium thickness will work) 
  • 1/2" in diameter dowel or cylinder (marker caps also work nicely)
  • 2 x 3 inch piece of cardboard
  • 2 C-cell batteries
  • Electrical or masking tape
  • Notebook
  • Scissors or wire cutters

 

Build your motor by following the instructions below: 

  1. Measure 1.6 inches from one end of your wire and begin coiling the rest around your marker cap tube or dowel rod 10 1/2 times, ensuring your wire is neatly coiled to promote seamless rotation in the final step of the project. 
  2. Trim the wire with scissors or wire cutters, leaving 1.6 inches on the other end.
  3. Being careful not to bend the wire, carefully slide the loops off your marker cap or cylinder. 
  4. Secure your loop by threading the two free ends of the wire through the coil loops at a 3 o’clock and 9 o’clock position to form a tight coil where the loops are bunched together. 
  5. Knot the wire to retain a tight bunch, if desired.
  6. Strip the enamel coating off the ends of your wire using the following procedure:
    1. Lay one end of your wire down on a piece of cardboard to protect the surface below. 
    2. Using your fine grit sandpaper, begin rubbing the sandpaper back and forth on the wire to remove the top half of the insulating material at the end of the right axle.
    3. Make sure to remove only the coating on the end of the axle, leaving the first centimeter of the axle (closest to the coil) untouched. 
    4. Do your best to remove all of the coating from the top right axle down to the bare wire.
  7. Flip your coil and repeat the same procedure for the left axle.
  8. Congratulations! You have just successfully built your own electromagnet. Now it is nearly time to connect it to your battery. 
  9. Bend your two paperclips into the shape of the number 3 by lifting the shorter end of the paperclip upwards. 
  10. Attach one of your paperclips to the positive end of your C-cell battery by using the procedure below:
    1. Place your battery in a standing position with the positive side facing upward. 
    2. Secure the larger loop of your paperclip over the positive end of the battery with a piece of tape (do not cut your tape yet, as you will wrap it around the other end of your battery in the next step).
  11. Secure your other paperclip to the negative side of your battery and affix it tightly with tape. 
  12. Make sure your paperclips are standing straight and tall by placing your battery in horizontal orientation in the crevice of a book.
  13. Place your three disc magnets, one on top of the other, in the center of the battery, evenly between your supports. 
  14. Secure both ends of your loop through the bends in your axle supports. 
  15. This will likely trigger your motor to begin running right away! 
  16. If not, try manually spinning your coil a few times to ensure it can move freely. 
  17. You now have a real, working electromagnetic motor!
  18. Observe your findings and record them in your notebook.

 

Uncover the Joy of Learning with Apex

At Apex, we believe that learning is a lifelong pursuit, and there is always a new discovery just around the corner! Unlock the power of science without reading endless textbooks and get your kids excited about this coming school year with our latest experiment or one of the other dozens of options you can find in our weekly blog. There has never been a better time to prepare your little ones for a STEM-driven world, and we are proud to offer fun and simple experiments the entire family can enjoy! Contact our magnetic experts with questions, inquire about product recommendations, or share your feedback by calling 1-304-257-1193 or completing our contact form.