Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

I have been trying to get the motor from the project called "Use Super-strong Magnets to Make a Simple Motor" on this site to work for a few days. We have bought new batteries, a tachometer, the exact kind of neodymium magnets it requires, but have only gotten it to spin three times. Is it better to use a single thicker strand of copper wire or many smaller strands twisted together? I would also like to know any other tricks or tips to get it to work because most of the time when I touch the wire to the magnets they do nothing and in the picture this should be all that they require.

I really appreciate any help or advice someone could give

Hello rizzodr,

You're right that it shouldn't be difficult to get this motor to run. Here are a few things to check. I hope one of them helps you.

• Be sure your battery is fresh.
  If you use a flat-bladed screwdriver to suspend the battery, the friction between the top magnet and the screwdriver might prevent it from spinning. Try a Phillips-head screwdriver or a flat-blade screwdriver with a smaller blade.
  Be sure your magnets are axially polarized. This means that the magnetic field points from one flat side to the other. If the magnets are axially polarized, a steel object will stick more strongly to the flat sides than the cylindrical sides.

Good luck, WW

Thank you very much for the advice. I had been using a flat head screw driver and now I know why it might not have been working. I was familiar with but not sure about the polarization of the magnet, that is an easy way to test them.

Thanks again for the help with my project