Objective
To create a simple DC motor to exemplify the principles of electricity.
Equipment
magnet wire, dry-erase marker, magnet, styrofoam cup, 2 paperclips, sand paper, power supply.
Notes and Observations
The magnet wire was a little awkward to construct, but I was able to put it together pretty quickly without having to reconfigure it very much. The first time we ran a test run on the motor, it didn’t work so I resanded the magnet wire again and also sanded the contact area on the paperclips.
We ran it again, but it wasn’t spinning but it was sparking. So we traded out our little magnet for a big magnet to create a stronger pull on the motor. This time it did work: SUCCESS!
Question to self: How does electricity work? How does the coil emit an electromagnetic field?
Diagrams
the coil and large magnet set up. 
References
Questions
Conclusions
This motor was fairly simple to construct. Just make sure that your motor is evenly balanced so that it can easily spin on the paperclip holder. Also make sure to do a good job of sanding down the contact area on the motor so that it can effectively spin/have contact. A strong magnet is also highly recommended.
shealanclark 