Torque

Torque or moment of force is a concept in Physics that describes the rotational force of an object. It is a measure of the force that can cause an object to rotate about an axis. Torque is a vector quantity, meaning it has both a direction and a magnitude.

Definition[edit | edit source]

The mathematical definition of torque is the cross product of the lever-arm distance and force, which tends to produce rotation. Mathematically, Torque (τ) is defined as:

τ = r x F

where:

r is the distance from the axis of rotation to the point where the force is applied
F is the force applied
x denotes the cross product

Units[edit | edit source]

In the International System of Units (SI), the unit of torque is the newton metre (N⋅m). This is not to be confused with the unit newton metre per second (N⋅m/s), which is a unit of work.

Static equilibrium[edit | edit source]

For an object to be in static equilibrium, not only must the sum of the forces be zero, but also the sum of the torques (moments) about any point. For a two-dimensional situation with horizontal and vertical forces, the sum of the forces requirement is two equations: ΣH = 0 and ΣV = 0, and the torque a third equation: Στ = 0. That is, to solve statically determinate equilibrium problems in two-dimensions, three equations are used.

References[edit | edit source]

Torque Resources
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