Thread: what is torque?
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Old 10-18-2003, 06:22 AM
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Re: Re: what is torque?

Quote:
Originally Posted by P10DET
They are used interchangably.


using the wrench and bolt example
if I want to generate 30lb-ft of torque to the bolt, with a 1ft wrench
then I will have to apply 30lb of force to a 1ft wrech
but in the case of 30ft-lb,
then I need a 30ft wrech and apply 1 lb of force.
although in terms of math caculations,
the TORQUE would be the same
(torque = distance x force)
but it is actually two different things, just with the same results.

for the torque of an engine, we want to know,
the FORCE being generated through a DISTANCE of 1 ft,
rather than the DISTANCE when there is 1lb of FORCE
because torque defines power, and it is a twist of force
the force is what we really want to know
if it is ft-lb, then we know all cars generates 1lb of FORCE

In the English Unit,
lb-ft or lb-in are the units of torque

ft-lb is used as an unit of work
if it is 15ft-lb
then it means the work required to lift a 1 lb mass, 15ft vertically

In the Metric System
there are two common units of TORQUE
kg-m = kilogram meter
Nm = Newton meter
I don't think it would be right if we put it as m-kg or mN

Last edited by MioCLK; 10-18-2003 at 06:57 AM.
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