what the torque

[honsten]

me and my mate were wondering what "torque" (as in engines) meant, after hearing it on scrapheap challenge.

[Quizmonster]

This is a dictionary definition:

(quote) "a force that produces or tends to produce rotation or torsion (an automobile engine delivers torque to the drive shaft);

also : a measure of the effectiveness of such a force that consists of the product of the force and the perpendicular distance from the line of action of the force to the axis of rotation." (MWD)

[Daisho]

Or if you like, Pulling Power.

[thekraut]

I thought it was scrapyard challenge?

[jake-the-peg]

Or if you'd like that in English torque it's twisting force.

If you multiply the force by the distance from the centre of rotation you get torque - it's measured in foot pounds or Newton Meters.

So for example if you are doing up a bold with a spanner that is 1 foot long ond you stand on the end of the spanner and you weigh 200lbs then you are applying 200x1= 200ftlbs of torque.

In terms of engines, a high performance sports car might generate 400NM of torque so might a tractor - The  tractor engine probably does this with a big crankshaft and pistons that travel a long way. The sports car does this with pistons that are wider and can travel through a cycle faster and can rev higher.

In most road cars though you can equate torque per tonne of the cars weight to it's ability to accelerate. 

[adydb]

Plain English.....Pressure needed to be put on the Nut to ensure its optimum. (measured in imperial or Metric)