1. Pocket and Simple Motor Lab
Name: _________________________ Date: _____ CP: _____
Pocket and Simple Motor Lab
Standard: S8P5c. Investigate and explain that electric currents and magnets can exert force on each
other.
Goal: Understand the relationship between magnetism and electric currents.
Hypothesis: Explain how you think a motor works.
Procedure: Build a Pocket Motor and and a Simple Motor as shown in the pictures below.
*Pocket motor has the magnet attached to the negative terminal. Simple Motor has the magnet
attached to the head of the screw.
Observations: Answer all questions in complete sentences.
What do you think would happen to the Pocket Motor if you put the magnet on the other end of the battery?
Put the magnet on the other end of the Pocket Motor’s battery. Change your wire set up as well. Was your prediction correct? Explain why this happened.
Make the screw on the simple motor spin in the opposite direction? How were you able to do this?
What happens if you use your finger to spin the wire in the opposite direction? How were you able to do this? Why do you think the screw was able to rotate in the opposite direction?
Do you think you could adapt the Simple Motor design to make it more effective? If so explain your hypothesis. Experiment using your hypothesis. Did it work? Why or why not?
Could you make one of motors do some work for you? What could it possibly do?
Could you make one of the motors go faster or slower? How might you be able to do this?
Why do both motors require a closed circuit and a magnet to work?
When the motor’s circuit is complete, potential energy stored in the battery works with the magnet’s energy to move the coil of wire. Focus on the energy transformations of the battery to complete the flow chart below.
Extension: Research how a motor works. On the back write a one paragraph summary of your findings. Be sure to include how the electric current in the wire and the magnetic field around the magnet work together to cause the motor to move.
Pocket Motor
Simple Motor
Energy stored in battery
Energy released in a circuit
Energy given when coil moves
Energy released, but not used