Start off by saying I have very little experience with electric circuits. So I'm looking to have this synchronous motor turn on when a person is within range and off when no-one is there (don't know what this type of sensor would be;thermal sensor?). Preferably the power source for the motor comes from plugging into a power outlet with the addition of a sensor switch to turn it on and off.
I'm just really confused with the power supply needed and how including a sensor switch could possibly change the power supply from the outlet to the motor making it not work etc. I'm open to all idea and/or additional tool/equipment as long as it will make it work.

The synchronous motor looks like this

 

Detecting the presence of a stationary human is difficult.
Detecting that a human has moved is much easier. A PIR will do that: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Danlers-...666174?hash=item41e445fcbe:g:ArcAAOSw-xNayelr

 

You could also use ultrasonics.
Here is a link. It is for a water level sensor but a search will turn up more.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Measuring-water-level-with-ultrasonic-sensor/

This would be prety easy to do.
Just add a solid state relay to switch power to the motor, and mod the code a bit.
Have a go and you will get lots of help here, but it is a good idea to show you are trying first.

Edit: Here is a distance one....
http://www.instructables.com/id/Distance-measurement-using-Ultrasonic-sensor-and-A/

 

Start off by saying I have very little experience with electric circuits. So I'm looking to have this synchronous motor turn on when a person is within range and off when no-one is there (don't know what this type of sensor would be;thermal sensor?). Preferably the power source for the motor comes from plugging into a power outlet with the addition of a sensor switch to turn it on and off.

Considering your motor is a 220 - 240 VAC motor and only a 4 Watt motor I am guessing you are using 220 VAC mains power in your location. I would just go to any home improvement store, here in the US it would be Lowe's or Home Depot and buy an inexpensive motion sensor, Amazon would be another source. Use the motion sensor to switch the small motor On/Off much like you would a lamp or outside flood light. Keeping in mind these will detect motion as a human for example comes into range. Once the human is in range if they are still for a preset period of time the sensor will stop the motor. Most out of the box motion sensors allow the user to set a preset time once motion is detected during which the sensor will keep the load on. Here is an Amazon example. Just make sure yours is rated for your voltage requirement of 220 - 240 VAC.

Ron

 

I agree with the above approach. Just put your motor in place of the lightbulb in an off-the-shelf security light. Actually I think you can buy motion detectors without the lamp sockets, for instance the ones that mount where a light switch would go and turn on room lights when someone enters the room.

 

That above is a really good way to solve your problem.

 

I think you need to define what "in range" means, specifically.

I can think of 5 ways to detect a person, each has different shortcomings.
Without a really specific definition, it's a guessing game.