Video narration
Motors turn electricity into rotation by using magnetism. When current flows through a coil of wire, it creates a magnetic field. That field pushes and pulls against magnets or other coils, creating a twisting force that keeps a rotor turning. DC means direct current: electricity flows in one direction. In a basic DC motor, the current in the spinning coil is switched at just the right moments so the magnetic push keeps chasing around in the same direction, producing steady torque and a smooth spin. AC means alternating current: the current reverses direction many times per second. In many AC motors, that back-and-forth current in the stator windings creates a rotating magnetic pattern. The rotor tries to follow that moving field, so it turns. So both rely on coils and magnetic fields; the key difference is how the current is delivered-and how that makes the magnetic field change to keep the rotor rotating.