{"id":54823,"date":"2025-10-23T04:39:21","date_gmt":"2025-10-22T19:39:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/phys-edu.net\/wp\/?p=54823"},"modified":"2025-10-23T04:42:20","modified_gmt":"2025-10-22T19:42:20","slug":"the-capacitor-riddle-why-does-the-motor-spin-and-then-stop","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/phys-edu.net\/wp\/?p=54823&lang=en","title":{"rendered":"The Capacitor Riddle: Why Does the Motor Spin and Then Stop?"},"content":{"rendered":"

I’m Ken Kuwako, your Science Trainer. Every day is an experiment.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Hey everyone, here’s a circuit riddle for you! If you connect a battery and a motor with wires, the motor will obviously spin, right? But what happens if you introduce a component called a “capacitor<\/b>” into the middle of that circuit? Will the motor keep spinning? Or will it stop dead in its tracks?<\/p>\n

A capacitor is a component designed to store electrical energy. Structurally, it consists of two metal plates (electrodes) separated by a “dielectric,” which is an electrical insulator. As you can see from a circuit diagram, the plates aren’t connected. In other words, the circuit is broken right where the capacitor sits.<\/p>\n

“Wait, if the circuit is broken, no electricity should flow. The motor shouldn’t spin at all!”<\/p>\n

This kind of “I wonder what will happen?” curiosity is the very gateway to science! Let’s find out by observing the experiment ourselves.<\/p>\n

Does the Motor Spin When a Capacitor is Connected in Series?<\/h3>\n

What you’ll need:<\/p>\n

Capacitor (1F *), Motor, Battery (2 cells)<\/p>\n

“F (Farad)” is the unit for a capacitor’s electrical storage capacity. 1F is a very large capacity, which makes the experiment easier to observe.<\/p>\n

Procedure:<\/p>\n

Connect the capacitor, motor, switch, and battery in series.<\/p>\n

Prepare to observe the motor before flipping the switch.<\/p>\n

Flip the switch and observe the motor for a while.<\/p>\n

Here is a video of the experiment in action. Take a look!<\/p>\n