What's the difference between horsepower & torque?

Question

Hello,

Can someone give me a clear explanation of why I need to look at both horsepower and torque when buying a car? If two cars have the same horsepower but a different torque - what does this mean?

Thanks for your help,
Michael.

Answer 1

Usually about 50 :)

Drivablity is Torque, top speed is HP

Answer 2

Horsepower and torque are appropriate mathematically and could the two enhance to a think approximately the powerband till torque falls off and hp takes over yet for this occasion i will attempt to maintain it basic. Torque is the twisting tension that strikes the vehicle forward and HP is the coolest end velocity of the vehicle. Now on your occasion you referred to distinctive fashions of Camaro and an Evo and a Vette. those are no longer elementary to earnings through fact there are various variables which you're leaving out. First is weight, 2d is gearing, and third is engine length. the burden dramatically impacts the acceleration of an merchandise because it takes extra tension to bypass the object. Gearing is presented in to play here through fact in case you have 2 automobiles that have the comparable quantity of tq/hp and one is geared intense and one is geared low the decrease geared motor vehicle will shoot out of the hollow plenty quicker. ultimately the vehicle that has a bigger cubic inch engine would have a power band the place the torque peaks plenty decrease in the flexibility band than a smaller 4 cyc engine consequently the 8cyc would have the potential to get off the line plenty quicker.. there is plenty which would be written here you may %. up some Chevy intense overall performance mags or goto their internet site and study a number of their tech articles...

Answer 3

1 horsepower is defined as 550 foot pounds per second

in other words it takes 1 hp to lift 550 pounds a foot off the ground in a second

horsepower is a measure of work

torque measures force in foot pounds

tightening a head bolt to 50 foot pounds is like hanging 50 pounds from the end of a 12" ruler held strait out

so if and only if all other things are equal (traction, weight,drag,etc):

1) if there are 2 cars with the same hp rating but differing torque ratings the car with the higher torque rating would out accelerate the other, but the top speeds would be the same, because it takes the same amount of work (hp) to overcome drag forces (wind resistance, rolling friction,etc)

2)if there are 2 cars with the same torque ratings but different hp ratings they would accelerate at the same rate to their own top speeds but the higher hp car would have a higher top speed

hope i didn't confuse u worse
Possum

Answer 4

Torque is twisting power.

All else being equal, the higher torque engine will accelerate faster while the higher horsepower engine will achieve a higher top speed.

Answer 5

HP - GIVES YOU A HIGHER TOP SPEED, POWER ESSENTIAL TO WORK WITH TORQUE, RESULTING IN A HIGHER TOP SPEED.

TORQUE- ACCELARATES YOU FASTER, THE ENERGY REQUIRED TO PROPEL A CAR FASTER.

Answer 6

OK TAKE FROM A GUY WHO OWNS A DODGE VIPER

Answer 7

look at bostonian he knows the way