When the switch is closed, the current starts to flow and the coil becomes an electromagnet. ... If the current in the coil were constant, the coil would stop in this position. However, to keep it spinning, the commutator breaks contact in this position. So the current stops for an instant.

Why does the coil spin in an electric motor?

EXPLANATION: When electricity is passed through a wire coil (as you are doing when you connect the coil to the battery), you create an electromagnetic field, which pushes the coil away from the magnet. ... When the circuit is complete again, the magnetic field once again repels the coil, so it keeps spinning.

What causes a coil to spin?

A coil of wire becomes an electromagnet when current passes through it. The electromagnet interacts with a permanent magnet, causing the coil to spin.