Be a Scientist: Build an Electrostatic Motor

Step 2 Making the Rotor.

The spinning part of any motor is called the rotor (because it rotates).

Cut three pieces of foil. The exact dimensions for the basic motor are not important, but they need to be slightly shorter than the cup is tall, and of a width so that there is a gap of about 1cm between the pieces when you stick them to the cup.

Stick the pieces of foil to the cup. Space them evenly around the cup, and make sure there is no point where neighbouring pieces touch each other.

(I say "three pieces of foil", but the exact number seems unimportant - maybe somebody would like to research this point - as long as it is two or more.)

Comments

[brettbeatty]

As I understand, the number of foil parts on the rotor should be an odd number so the charges are never in equilibrium.

[Kiteman]

That's sound logic, although I've never tested it.

We tended to make the foils in pairs to make it easier to balance the rotor.