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How did Michael Faraday build the first electric motor?
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Michael Faraday
Michael Faraday, oil on canvas by Thomas Phillips, 1841–42; in the National Portrait Gallery, London.
Michael Faraday built the first electric motor by applying his understanding of the circular nature of magnetic force discovered by Hans Christian Ørsted and André-Marie Ampère.1
Faraday reasoned that if a magnetic pole could be isolated, it should move in a continuous circle around a wire carrying an electric current. Using his laboratory skills, he constructed an apparatus that successfully demonstrated this principle, effectively transforming electrical energy into mechanical energy. This device served as the first electric motor, marking a pivotal moment in the history of electromagnetism.12