# How does a phone or something vibrate?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-a-phone-or-something-vibrate/506738>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [August 17, 2009, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-a-phone-or-something-vibrate/506738 "2009-08-17T16:36:42Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\
**Post date:** [August 17, 2009, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-a-phone-or-something-vibrate/506738/1 "2009-08-17T16:36:42Z")

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Is it some kind of rotating motor or a weight that oscillates back and forth? Is there a benefit to using one over the other?

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**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\
**Post date:** [August 17, 2009, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-a-phone-or-something-vibrate/506738/2 "2009-08-17T16:39:00Z")

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The ones I’ve seen, there’s a little rotating motor with an off-centre weight on its shaft. [Youtube link](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykpa5r1bWeE).

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**Author:** ![HorseloverFat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8e8cbc/32.png) [@HorseloverFat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HorseloverFat)\
**Post date:** [August 17, 2009, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-a-phone-or-something-vibrate/506738/3 "2009-08-17T16:39:24Z")

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There’s a little motor that spins a lopsided weight.

[http://www.surplustraders.net/a/mf918.gif](http://www.surplustraders.net/a/mf918.gif)