Electric motor

An electric motor is a <a href="/facts/Machine/Dq1W2kwI">machine</a> that converts <a href="/facts/Electrical_energy/V0pJUrDY">electrical energy</a> into <a href="/facts/Mechanical_energy/gI4oMzoY">mechanical energy</a>. Most electric motors operate through the interaction between the motor's <a href="/facts/Magnetic_field/Ta8Ev588">magnetic field</a> and <a href="/facts/Electric_current/Dc1xdnUX">electric current</a> in a <a href="/facts/Electromagnetic_coil/fk2ElSDk">wire winding</a> to generate <a href="/facts/Laplace_force/aq1Rc3SS">Laplace force</a> in the form of <a href="/facts/Torque/KcrcvNtV">torque</a> applied on the motor's shaft. An <a href="/facts/Electric_generator/5sATsUGX">electric generator</a> is mechanically identical to an electric motor, but operates in reverse, converting mechanical energy into electrical energy.
Electric motors can be powered by <a href="/facts/Direct_current/r9MNUx84">direct current</a> (DC) sources, such as from batteries or <a href="/facts/Rectifiers/me8XDxND">rectifiers</a>, or by <a href="/facts/Alternating_current/qxICS3xa">alternating current</a> (AC) sources, such as a power grid, <a href="/facts/Inverter_(electrical)/L8cJc3Hu">inverters</a> or electrical generators. Electric motors may also be classified by considerations such as power source type, construction, application and type of motion output. They can be <a href="/facts/Brushed_motor/9429HDoK">brushed</a> or <a href="/facts/Brushless_motor/FW8W7NnL">brushless</a>, <a href="/facts/Single-phase_electric_power/fVr79Kjy">single-phase</a>, <a href="/facts/Two-phase_electric_power/mBst6AIC">two-phase</a>, or <a href="/facts/Three-phase_electric_power/YXY3bQCx">three-phase</a>, <a href="/facts/Axial_flux_motor/JgwGTWVH">axial</a> or <a href="/facts/Radial_flux_motor/Vuu4eEPY">radial flux</a>, and may be air-cooled or liquid-cooled.
Standardized electric motors provide power for industrial use. The largest are used for <a href="/facts/Marine_propulsion/fmjXgupn">marine propulsion</a>, pipeline compression and <a href="/facts/Pumped-storage_hydroelectricity/j15NI2UV">pumped-storage</a> applications, with output exceeding 100 <a href="/facts/Watt/VK8oqRrm">megawatts</a>. Other applications include industrial fans, blowers and pumps, machine tools, household appliances, power tools, vehicles, and disk drives. Small motors may be found in <a href="/facts/Electric_watch/fsRf70rS">electric watches</a>. In certain applications, such as in <a href="/facts/Regenerative_braking/hzhCxYlr">regenerative braking</a> with <a href="/facts/Traction_motor/5xAX9sdk">traction motors</a>, electric motors can be used in reverse as generators to recover energy that might otherwise be lost as heat and friction.
Electric motors produce linear or rotary force (<a href="/facts/Torque/KcrcvNtV">torque</a>) intended to propel some external mechanism. This makes them a type of <a href="/facts/Actuator/mF9qVJJR">actuator</a>. They are generally designed for continuous rotation, or for linear movement over a significant distance compared to its size. <a href="/facts/Solenoid/4aQLSkjp">Solenoids</a> also convert electrical power to mechanical motion, but over only a limited distance.

Electric motor open-in-new

Electric motor