A four-pole, three-phase motor has how many coils?

In a three-phase motor, coils are arranged in a specific way to create a rotating magnetic field, which is necessary for the motor to operate effectively. The number of coils in a three-phase motor is determined by both the number of poles and the number of phases.

For a four-pole motor, the number of coils is typically twice the number of poles. This is because each pole generally requires a pair of coils to generate the necessary magnetic field for both polarities. Therefore, for a four-pole, three-phase motor, you would have:

Number of coils = Number of poles × 3 phases = 4 poles × 3 = 12 coils.

This configuration ensures that the motor can create a balanced and effective rotating magnetic field, which is crucial for its operation. Thus, twelve coils in total provide the arrangement required to support the four poles in the three-phase design, confirming that the correct answer reflects the inherent relationship between the coils and the motor's design structure.