The part of the starter that spins the drive is known as the

• A. Armature
• B. Commutator
• C. Stator
• D. Rotor

Answer: (A)

In a starter, the spinning element that turns the engine over is the armature—the rotating winding assembly mounted on the drive shaft. When power is applied, current flows through the armature windings, and their interaction with the fixed magnetic field from the stator produces torque that spins the shaft. That shaft is connected to the drive gear, so the armature’s rotation directly drives the engine crank. The commutator sits on the same rotating assembly and serves to switch current to the windings as it turns, while the stator provides the steady magnetic field and remains stationary. Although the rotor is also the moving part in many DC machines, the term used for the spinning winding assembly in this context is armature, making it the best answer.