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Dad Science: The Homopolar Motor

Turn a drywall screw and a battery into a high-speed engine. The “Homopolar Motor” is the simplest way to teach your kids how electricity creates motion.

A spinning drywall screw attached to a AA battery and a magnet, demonstrating the Lorentz Force in a simple homopolar motor experiment.

The Homopolar Motor

The electric motor was invented in 1821. You can build one in 60 seconds.

Every motor in your house—from your drill to your ceiling fan—is a descendant of this simple trick. It’s called a Homopolar Motor. It’s the rawest form of rotation you can build.

The Parts List:

  1. A AA Battery.

  2. A drywall screw.

  3. A small, strong neodymium magnet.

  4. A short piece of wire.

The Build:

  1. Stick the magnet to the head of the screw.

  2. Stick the point of the screw to the bottom (negative) of the battery. The magnet will hold it there, dangling.

  3. Hold the wire on the top (positive) of the battery.

  4. Touch the other end of the wire to the side of the magnet.

The Spin: The screw will take off. It will spin at 2,000 RPM until the battery dies or the wire gets too hot to hold. This is the Lorentz Force in action: Current flowing through a magnetic field creates motion.

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If you have questions or need help with electrical work in the Huntsville area, visit us at huntsvillewireandhome.com or give us a call. We’re here to help.