What component do DC motors use to switch current direction and keep the rotor turning?

What component do DC motors use to switch current direction and keep the rotor turning?

• A. A commutator and brushes
• B. A flywheel
• C. A transistor gate
• D. A generator coil

Answer: (A)

In a traditional brushed DC motor, continuous rotation relies on a mechanical switch that reverses the current through the armature windings every half turn. The commutator, a split ring connected to the windings, works with carbon brushes to swap the winding connections just as the rotor passes through the halfway point. This reversal keeps the torque in the same direction, so the rotor keeps turning. A flywheel simply stores rotational energy to smooth out power delivery, but it doesn’t change winding direction. A transistor gate is part of electronic control in some systems, not the motor’s fundamental switch mechanism. A generator coil is for producing electricity, not for driving rotation.

In a traditional brushed DC motor, continuous rotation relies on a mechanical switch that reverses the current through the armature windings every half turn. The commutator, a split ring connected to the windings, works with carbon brushes to swap the winding connections just as the rotor passes through the halfway point. This reversal keeps the torque in the same direction, so the rotor keeps turning.

A flywheel simply stores rotational energy to smooth out power delivery, but it doesn’t change winding direction. A transistor gate is part of electronic control in some systems, not the motor’s fundamental switch mechanism. A generator coil is for producing electricity, not for driving rotation.