1. What is Torque?

Torque is a measure of the rotational force applied to an object. In physics, it's the tendency of a force to rotate an object about an axis, fulcrum, or pivot. The torque due to weight is calculated using mass, gravitational acceleration, distance from pivot, and angle of application.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the torque equation:

Where:

• \( \tau \) — Torque (Newton-meters)
• \( m \) — Mass (kilograms)
• \( g \) — Gravitational acceleration (9.8 m/s²)
• \( r \) — Radius or distance from pivot (meters)
• \( \theta \) — Angle between force and lever arm (degrees)

Explanation: The equation shows that torque depends on both the magnitude of the force and how that force is applied relative to the rotation axis.

3. Importance of Torque Calculation

Details: Torque calculations are essential in mechanical engineering, vehicle dynamics, structural analysis, and many physics applications. Understanding torque helps in designing rotating systems and analyzing rotational motion.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter mass in kilograms, radius in meters, and angle in degrees (0-90). All values must be positive numbers.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What's the difference between torque and force?
A: Force causes linear acceleration, while torque causes angular acceleration. Torque depends on both the force and where it's applied.

Q2: What happens at 90 degrees?
A: At 90°, sinθ = 1, so torque is maximized (τ = m × g × r). The force is completely perpendicular to the lever arm.

Q3: What are common torque units?
A: Newton-meters (Nm) in SI, pound-feet (lb-ft) in imperial, and dyne-centimeters (dyn-cm) in CGS.

Q4: How does torque relate to power?
A: Power = Torque × Angular velocity. More torque at the same RPM means more power.

Q5: What's a real-world example?
A: When using a wrench, you apply torque to turn a bolt. Longer wrenches give more torque for the same force.