In an AC motor, what effect does increasing the frequency have on speed?

Increasing the frequency of an alternating current (AC) motor directly affects its speed because the speed of an AC induction motor is determined by the relationship between the frequency of the power supply and the number of poles in the motor. This relationship is established by the formula:

Speed (RPM) = (120 × Frequency) / Number of Poles

As the frequency increases, the value of the product (120 × Frequency) also increases, leading to a higher calculated speed for the motor. Therefore, an increase in frequency results in an increased speed of the motor. This is fundamental to understanding how AC motors operate and is crucial for applications where precise control of motor speed is necessary, like in variable frequency drives (VFDs).

The other options do not accurately reflect the relationship between frequency and motor speed. Decreasing speed is not applicable as raising frequency leads to a higher speed. Similarly, the notion that frequency increases speed without effect, or that frequency affects torque alone, misrepresent the direct proportionality between frequency and speed in the context of AC motors.