PLT COLLEGE, INC.

Zulueta St. Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya

Junior High School Department

Self-Pace Learning Module

Quarter 2 – Module 5
Simple Electric Motor and Generator
Name: Date Released:

Grade and Section: Date of Submission:

Objectives

After going through this module, you are expected to:

1. Explain the operation of a simple electric motor and generator.

Let’s Engage

“Electric Motor”
What you need:
 Clean sheet of paper and ballpen

What you have to do:

 Below are objects normally found at home. List down which has an electric motor. Use a separate
sheet of paper for your answer.

Grade 10 Science A.Y 2021-

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 Directions: On a separate sheet, answer the following questions based on the activity on page 1.

1. What are those materials with electric motors?

2. What are those materials which do not have electric motors?
3. Describe the materials with electric motors.
4. Describe the materials without electric motors.
5. What do you think is the role of the electric motor in the materials/appliances?

Let’s Learn

What is a generator?
 A generator converts Mechanical Energy to Electrical Energy.
 It produces an electric current when a coil of wire is wrapped
around an iron core and rotated near a magnet.

How does a generator work?

 An electric generator is a device that converts mechanical
energy obtained from an external source into electrical energy
as the output.
Photograph of Michael Faraday by
John Watkins on
commons.wikimedia.org from
https://tinyurl.com/MFaraday
Principle of Electromagnetic Induction in Generator

 Modern generators can be attributed to Michael Faraday’s principle of ELECTROMAGNETIC

INDUCTION. Faraday discovered that when a conductor moves in a magnetic field, electrical
charges could be created and directed to create a flow of current.

 At its most basic, an electrical generator is nothing more than an electromagnet – moving wire near
a magnet to direct the flow of electricity. It’s similar to how a pump pushes water through a pipe.

 It is important to understand that a generator does not actually “create” electrical energy. Instead,
it uses the mechanical energy supplied to it to force the movement of electric charges present
in the wire of its windings through an external electric circuit.

 This flow of electric charges constitutes the output electric current supplied by the generator. This
mechanism can be understood by considering the generator to be similar to a water pump,
which causes the flow of water but does not actually create the water flowing through it.

How water, wind, and steam make electricity through generator?

1. Water – Hydropower plants capture the energy of falling water to generate electricity. A
turbine converts the kinetic energy of the falling water into mechanical energy. Then a generator
converts the mechanical energy from the turbine into electrical energy.

2. Wind - The wind turns the blades of the windmill, known as the turbine, which, in turn, spins
the shaft that turns the coil inside the magnet, known as the generator, and it produces the
electricity.

3. Fossil Fuel/Steam/Heat - Oil is burned to heat water which makes steam. Steam moves the
turbine blades that turn a shaft inside the generator. The shaft spins the coil of wire inside a magnet
in the generator that produces a current of electricity.
Grade 10 Science A.Y 2021-

What are the main components of a DC generator?

A DC generator is an electrical machine which converts mechanical energy into direct current electricity.

1. Stator - The main function of the stator is to provide magnetic fields where the coil spins. A stator
includes two magnets with opposite polarity facing each other. These magnets are located to fit in
the region of the rotor.

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 2. Rotor - A rotor in a DC machine includes slotted iron laminations with slots that are stacked
to shape a cylindrical armature core. The function of the lamination is to decrease the loss caused
due to “Eddy Current”.

3. Commutator - A commutator works like a rectifier that changes AC voltage to DC voltage within
the armature winding. It is designed with a copper segment, and each copper segment is protected
from each other with the help of mica sheets. It is located on the shaft of the machine.

Hydraulic turbine and electrical generator, cutaway view on commons.wikemedia.org from

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Water_turbine_(en_2).svg

4. Brushes – The Brushes are in constant contact with the commutator and are attached to the wires
leading from the generator. The commutator spins while the brushes remain stationary, transferring
current from the commutator.

5. Shaft – The shaft transfers mechanical energy to the generator and turns the coil through the
magnetic field. The shaft may be turned by a turbine that operates with water, steam or air, or
by other means.

Difference between the AC Generator and the DC Generator

• AC generator produces AC electrical power whereas DC generator produces DC electrical power

• In DC generator the current flows in one direction whereas in the AC generators current
reverses periodically.
• In DC generator split rings are used they wear out quickly in AC generator slip rings are used,
so they have high efficiency.
• AC generators are used for small domestic applications whereas DC generators used to power large
motors.

What are the top Uses of Generator?

• Back -Up power for your house

Grade 10 Science A.Y 2021-

• Stand-by power for businesses

• Temporary power in a construction site
• Permanent power to a farm
• Helping main source of electricity to supply the total power required
• Pop concerts, events, and exhibitions
• Caravans/Camping in remote locations Outdoor catering facilities

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 What is an electric motor?

Electric Motor” illustrated by Richard C. Paragas

Electric motor

• Anything that changes electricity into motion, meaning electrical

energy into mechanical energy is called an electric motor.

Basic Principles

• Danish physicist HANS CHRISTIAN ØRSTED began a

new scientific era when he discovered that electricity and
magnetism are linked. He showed by experiment that an
electric current flowing through a wire could move a nearby
magnet.
• The discovery of ELECTROMAGNETISM set the stage for
the eventual development of our modern technology-based
world. H.C. Ørsted by Christoffer
Wilhelm Eckersberg

How do Electric Motors work?

• Motors work through the principles of ELECTROMAGNETISM. If you run electricity through
a wire, it creates a magnetic field. If you coil the wire around a rod and run electricity through the
wire, it creates a magnetic field around the rod. One end of the rod will have a north magnetic pole
and the other will have a south pole. Opposite poles attract one another, like poles repel. When you
surround that rod with other magnets, the rod will rotate from the attractive and repulsive forces.

What are the parts of an electric motor?

Electric motor designs can vary quite a lot, though

in general they have three main parts: a rotor, a stator and a
commutator. These three parts use the attractive and repulsive
forces of electromagnetism, causing the motor to spin
continually as long as it receives a steady flow of electric
current.

A. THE STATOR

Every electric motor has two essential parts;

one stationary, and one that rotates. The stationary
part is the stator. Though configurations vary, the stator is most often a permanent magnet or row
of magnets lining the edge of the motor casing, which is usually a round plastic drum.

B. THE ROTOR
Grade 10 Science A.Y 2021-

Inserted into the stator is the rotor, usually consisting of copper wire wound into a
coil around an axle. When electric current flows through the coil, the resulting magnetic field
pushes against the field created by the stator, and makes the axle spin

C. THE COMMUTATOR

• BASICS – An electric motor has another important component, the commutator, which sits at one
end of the coil. It is a metal ring divided into two halves. It reverses the electrical current in the coil
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each time the coil rotates half a turn. The commutator periodically reverses the current between the

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 rotor and the external circuit, or the battery. This ensures that the ends of coils do not move in
opposite directions, and ensures that the axle spins in one direction.

• MAGNETIC POLES – BRUSHES AND TERMINALS. At one end of the motor are the
brushes and the terminals. They are at the opposite end from where the rotor exits the motor casing.
The brushes send electrical current to the commutator and are typically made of graphite. The
terminals are the locations where the battery attaches to the motor and sends the currents to
spin the rotor.

Difference between the AC Motor and the DC Motor

• In the AC Motor, the source of power is AC mains supply whereas in DC motor power is obtained
from batteries.
• In AC motors no commutators and brushes are used whereas in DC motors these play an important
part in their operation.
• In AC motors the armature is stationary and the magnetic field rotates whereas in DC motors it
is vice versa.
• AC motors are suitable for large industrial applications whereas DC motors are suitable for
domestic applications.

APPLICATIONS OF ELECTRIC MOTOR

Electric motors are extremely important in modern-day life. They are used in food processors,
vacuum cleaners, dishwashers, computer printers, fax machines, video recorders, machine tools, printing
presses, automobiles, subway systems, sewage treatment plants, and water pumping stations, to
mention only a few applications.

Comparison of Motor and Generator

A motor and generator perform opposite functions, but their fundamental structure is the
same. Their structure is a “coil mounted on an axle within a magnetic field”. An electric motor is used
to produce rotational motion from electrical supply. In a motor, an electric current is passed through the
coil. The coil then creates a magnetic field that interacts with the already existing magnetic field. This
interaction forces the coil to rotate.

For a motor, the input energy is electrical energy and the useful output energy is
mechanical energy. The generator is used to produce an electric current from rotational motion (on large
scale power stations a “turbine” is used to provide this rotation). In a generator, the rotation causes
the coil to rotate inside the magnetic field. This induces an alternating current in the coil.

For generator the input energy is mechanical energy and the useful output energy is electrical
energy. In power stations, it is usually the magnet which is attached to the axel and rotates with the
coils surrounding the magnet. However, the end result is the same. The motor and the generator are
almost similar from the construction point of view, as both have stator and rotor.

The differences between Motor and Generator are as follows:

• The motor converts electric energy into mechanical energy, whereas, generator does the opposite.
• Electricity is used in the motor, but the generator produces the electricity.
• An example of motor is an electric car or bike where electric current is supplied to the machine or
device and it gets converted to mechanical motion and, as a result, the car or bike moves. The
example of generator is that in power stations, the turbine is used as a device which converts
Grade 10 Science A.Y 2021-

mechanical energy from the force of water falling from the dam to generate electric energy.

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 Let’s Practice

Directions: Choose the best answer from the choices in the parenthesis. Write your answer on
a separate sheet of paper.

1. An electric motor is a machine which converts Electrical Energy into (Mechanical, Potential)
energy.
2. The (battery, wire) supplies the electric current into the coil and it gets converted into motion.
3. (Christian Oersted, Michael Faraday) discovered that a magnetic field was produced by a flow
of electric current.
4. When battery is connected, the coil creates a magnetic field that interacts with the already existing
magnetic field brought about by the (battery, magnet).
5. The interaction of magnetic fields from the battery and magnet forces the coil to (stop, rotate).

Let’s Enhance

Excellent job! You are almost done with the module. Let’s summarize what you have learned
from the lesson and activities by answering the following questions. Write your answer on a separate sheet
of paper.

1. What are the similarities and differences between electric motor and generator?
2. How does electric motor and generator work?

Let’s Apply

What you need:

• crayons/oil pastel/pencil short coupon bond ruler pencil/pen

What you have to do:

• Using your creativity and artistic ability, draw how a simple motor and generator operates/works.

Your output in the poster making will be rated by your teacher using the following criteria:

 Relevance to the Topic 5 points

 Creativity 5 points
 Neatness 5 points
 Color Harmony/Organization 5 points

Total 20 points

Let’s Evaluate

Directions: Read each question carefully. Choose the letter of the correct answer. Use a
separate sheet of paper for your answer.

1. What do you call an energy converting system that transforms electrical energy into
mechanical movement?
A. Electric motor C. Electric generator
B. Electric field D. Electric plasma

2. Which of the situation below shows how a basic electric motor works?
Grade 10 Science A.Y 2021-

A. The energy contained in the batteries of the vehicle is transformed into wheel rotation.
B. Electrical energy converted into blade rotation in the food processor and cut down food.
C. Both A and B
D. None of these

3. Which is the correct sequence in the operation of generator in the production of electricity in
Hydroelectric Power Plant?

I. A turbine converts the kinetic energy of the falling water into mechanical energy.
II. Hydropower plants capture the energy of falling water to generate electricity.
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 III. Once an electrical current has been established, it is directed through copper wires to power
machines and devices.
IV. The generator converts the mechanical energy from the turbine into electrical energy.

A. I, IV, II, III C. IV, I, III, II

B. II, I, IV, III D. III, II, IV, I

4. He was credited for discovering that electric currents create magnetic fields, which was the
first connection found between electricity and magnetism.
A. James Maxwell
B. Hans Christian Ørsted
C. Michael Faraday
D. Alessandro Volta

5. What will happen to the coiled wire in a model of an electric motor if the magnetic poles are
repulsed and attracted?
A. The coil remains stable.
B. The coil fluctuates and converts electrical energy into chemical energy.
C. The coil stops and changes mechanical energy into electrical energy.
D. The coil rotates and changes electrical energy into mechanical energy.

Prepared By:
Grade 10 Science A.Y 2021-

Mark Ryan P. Delos Reyes, LPT

Subject Teacher

Noted By: Checked By:

Joel B. Doladol, MAEd. Herbert Paul B. Javier, LPT

High School Principal JHS Coordinator