Feel free to pause the clip and walk through step by step. Some captions are given at important positions to better explain what is happening and the forces are colour coated. Use the legend to reference what they represent.

Electric motors get their rotational energy from the attracting and repelling forces of magnetism. As many of us learn at a young age, two opposite magnets attract. Once they have reached each other, they arrive at a resting point and all energy transfer is concluded. The concept behind electric motors takes this action of opposites attracting, puts it on an axel and adds repulsion forces. Once the two opposites meet each other, unlike the previous example, the do not stay still. The polarity of the inner solenoid switches and causes the two solenoids which just met to repel each other and complete another half cycle.

A solenoid is a series of loops of conductive wire circling in the same direction. When electricity is run though this wire, it causes a magnetic field to form in center of the coils. A rod can be placed in the center of the solenoid to concentrate the magnetic field. The polarity of this magnetic field depends on the direction of the loops and the direction of the current. Since once the wire is wrapped the direction of the loops cannot change, the current must change. In order to do this, a commutator must be used.

A commutator is a device that acts as the two leads coming from the solenoid. When two brushes are placed along the sides of the commutator, the circuit is completed and solenoid becomes magnetized. A commutator is made up of two have circle conductive pieces of metal which are attached to the ends of the inner solenoids. These pieces of metal have the breaks in between them strategically placed to switch the direction of current when the solenoids align. A magnified view of the commutator is shown above to visually explain what it does.