Year 12s: what will be the first way you research your future options? >>

What is torque?

I can't conceptually get my head around torque. I know the equations, but I don't understand what it actually is. Help appreciated!

Reply 1

RogerOxon

"Turning force"

Imagine taking the wheel nuts off a car with one of the X shaped spanners - you push one way on one side, and the other on the other side, which puts a large 'turning force' on the wheel nuts.

Physically, torque doesn't exist - it's just how we model the effect of the forces on an object. In the case of torque, we're quantifying the turning effect of the forces. A force of 10N at 1m has the same turning effect as 2N at 5m, so, rather than specify the forces on our wheel spanner, we give their turning effect.