I am doing a science project on a homopolar motor and i have built a replica of the project shown in the video. however i do not know how to explain what is happening.

Nor do i understand whats happening.

 

 

 

 

Any help at all is much appreciated

 

thank you in advance for all of your help

The battery provides a voltage source(assuming the winding makes a complete circuit) and the magnet provides a magnetic field. A force is applied to the current carrying conductor by the magnetic field causing the winding to move.

The battery provides a voltage source(assuming the winding makes a complete circuit) and the magnet provides a magnetic field. A force is applied to the current carrying conductor by the magnetic field causing the winding to move.

 

I'm not quite sure i understand. how does the battery interact with the magnet, how are they working together?

 

and what makes it spin?

Its just not making scene to me

The battery causes a current in the rotor winding(the wire). The magnet provides a magnetic field. A charge moving in a magnetic field experiences a force perpendicular to the field and the direction of travel. [math]F=q(v\times{B})[/math] where F is the force, q is the charge, v is the velocity of the charge, and B is the magnetic field. Now, the current induced by the battery is just moving charges. Since the moving charges are going through the magnetic field, they are affected by the force and are thus accelerated which accelerates the entire winding causing the rotation.

 

If you're still not understanding, you can try Wikipedia.