Mondo Knows Facts
Michael Faraday built the first primitive electric motor in 1821
A current-carrying wire rotating around a magnet demonstrated electromagnetic propulsion
English scientist Michael Faraday constructed a homopolar motor in 1821 by suspending a copper wire in a dish of mercury containing a permanent magnet. Passing electric current through the wire created a magnetic field that caused the wire to rotate continuously around the magnet. This experiment demonstrated electromagnetic rotational motion, laying the foundation for electric motor technology.
Where this comes from
Facts that can change over time are reviewed and updated. If something here looks wrong, Mondo would rather know than be confidently incorrect.
Go further
More facts like this
Superconductivity allows electrical current to flow with zero resistanceHeike Kamerlingh Onnes discovered zero electrical resistance in liquid-helium cooled mercury in 1911Sonic booms occur when aircraft travel faster than the speed of soundAir pressure waves compressed at Mach one coalesce into continuous shock wavesEscalating steam prevents oil penetration during fryingRapid water evaporation creates outward pressure that keeps oil on food surfacesTraffic yellow light durations depend on road speed limitsEngineers calculate amber light timing using approach speeds and braking distanceTorricelli invented the mercury barometer to measure air pressureWeight from atmospheric air supports a column of liquid mercury inside sealed glassTying shoelaces with a square reef knot stops shoes unlacingProperly balanced shoelace bow knots prevent walking vibrations from loosening lace ends
Tags: faraday, electric-motor, physics
Michael Faraday built the first primitive electric motor in 1821: the short answers
- Where does this come from, and can I check it?
- A current-carrying wire rotating around a magnet demonstrated electromagnetic propulsion. The figure is taken from The Royal Institution, which is linked in full on this page. Every fact on Mondo Knows names its source rather than repeating an unsourced claim.
- Is this really a technology fact?
- Yes. It sits on the Technology shelf, one of 1,090 sourced facts grouped into space, animals, the human body, history, science and more. Category pages collect every fact in the same field.
- What else can I read about it?
- The links under the fact point to a quiz, game, puzzle or calculator on the same subject, and the shelf below shows related facts. The wording here is original, and quoted phrases are marked as quotations.
