Electric motors convert electrical energy input into mechanical energy. This simply means that an electrical motor will receive an electric current and cause something to move or function. They perform the reverse of the process performed by generators, which receive a mechanical action and turn it into electrical energy. While many people use electric motors frequently, they may not know that this process is the result of the interaction of magnetic fields. Nor do most people know just how widespread such motors are and the various kinds that exist, such as permanent magnets motors.
The principles behind creation of mechanical force through the interactions of electrical currents and magnetic fields were understood in the early 19th century. Inventors and researchers produced increasingly powerful and efficient electric motors during the remainder of the century. However, electrical grids were not widespread and the need for such motors was limited until the twentieth century when more people were utilizing electrical power at work or in the home. As the motors came into use, they diverged into two separate types of motors with distinct methods of transferring current: the direct current and the alternating current.
The direct current motor, or DC motor, functions on a stable and continuous flow of electrical energy from a source to the motor. This kind of motor is generally used in industry. There are a number of different types of DC motors. Permanent magnets motors do not create a magnetic field due to the winding of the stator frame. They actually utilize a permanent magnet with which the rotor interacts to produce the mechanical force known as torque. Other DC motors include the brushed and the brushless varieties.
The famous inventor Nikola Tesla first proposed an alternative to direct current in the late 19th century. This form of electrical input is different than direct current because the electrical energy periodically reverses its flow and returns toward the distribution grid. Most businesses and residences receive power in this format. This form of power distribution is much safer and more efficient over widespread areas than direct current. A great variety of these motors exist. They differ from each other and from DC motors in their typical applications, their lifespan and the amount of control a human manager can exert over the electrical output.
The mass production of these electric motors in the 20th century caused unforeseen changes in both industry and domestic life. Whether these devices relied on direct current or alternating current or used permanent magnets motors or stators and rotors, they enabled people and businesses to do far more than had ever been imagined. Now the entire world, even developing countries, has incorporated electrical power into their daily lives.