motor effect

The motor effect in plasma physics refers to the principle where pulsing magnetic fields can accelerate plasma, generating thrust. This effect is the inverse of the dynamo effect, where plasma moving perpendicular to a magnetic field generates an electromotive force.1

Plasma itself is an electrically conducting medium composed of roughly equal numbers of positive and negative charged particles, typically electrons and ions, formed when a gas becomes ionized. It's often called the fourth state of matter. The behavior of plasma can be described by considering individual particle motions or, more broadly, using fluid-like equations that account for conservation of mass, momentum, and energy. This field of study, plasma physics, has roots in the investigation of electric discharges and magnetohydrodynamics.234