When electrical current flows through the brushes of a DC motor, it interacts with which part of the motor?

When electrical current flows through the brushes of a DC motor, it interacts with the commutator. The commutator is a critical component in the operation of a DC motor, acting as a mechanical switch that reverses the direction of current in the armature windings each half rotation. This reversal ensures that the torque produced by the motor remains in the same rotational direction, allowing for continuous motion.

The brushes conduct electricity from the power source to the commutator, which is connected to the armature. As the armature spins, the commutator segments make contact with the brushes to allow current to flow into the winding coils, generating a magnetic field that interacts with the fixed magnetic field produced by either permanent magnets or field coils. This interaction between the magnetic fields results in the rotational motion of the motor.

Understanding the role of the commutator is crucial as it enables the effective functioning of the motor by maintaining a consistent torque and facilitating the conversion of electrical energy into mechanical energy.