Lorentz Force and Homo-polar Motor

Suppose there are two magnets. Both are facing each other, with the north pole at the bottom and the south pole on the top. The north pole pulls towards the south pole, so the magnetic field is pointed upwards.

Now there is a wire passing through the two magnets, connected to a battery so there is a power source. This creates a full circuit, which causes an electric current to pass through the wire, and the wire is passing through the magnetic field.

This is where Lorentz force comes in. Lorentz force is the force that is deployed from the magnetic field onto the electric current, which causes the wire to be pushed.

What is the Homo-polar Motor?

The electrical current is flowing from the positive terminal of the battery to the negative terminal and into the magnet. This current flows from the center of the magnet to the edge where the wire connects, then it travel up the wire back to the positive terminal of the battery and then the circuit is complete.

Real Life Example of Homo-polar Motors

Homo-polar motors are starting to be used in wind turbines. The rotating blades of a wind turbine are connected to one or more neodymium magnets. These magnets turn because of coiled copper wire, which generates energy and electricity in the coil to power the turbines.

These motors provide a low cost by the means of converting wind into electricity. These motors are cheaper and require less attention than other bipolar motors.

Here is a video on how the homo-polar motor works

Credits- Young Wonks