What exactly does torque do?

Question

Does it effect horsepower? What does it do?

Answer 1

It is a measurement of axial energy.

1. The moment of a force; the measure of a force's tendency to produce torsion and rotation about an axis, equal to the vector product of the radius vector from the axis of rotation to the point of application of the force and the force vector.
2. A turning or twisting force.

Answer 2

Simple understanding would be -

- Torgue is measurement unit.
- To move heavy load you need higher torque
- Speed is not related to torque

Vehicles with high torque are gas guzzlers.

Example:
- If you want to race cars, then you are looking for high speed, light weight car. Torque is not that important in racing, except little bit in starting off.
- If you want to move heavy loads. You need pickup Truck with good torque.

Answer 3

Doesn't "do" anything. It's a measurement. Has nothing to do with horsepower. Hard to explain...example, when you're loosening a bolt, but it's too tight, so you get a "cheater" bar, or pipe to act as if the wrench were longer. That's adding torque.

Another example is, the strength of your arm turning the wrench=horsepower.

The longer the wrench, the more torque. (from an engine perspective)

Answer 4

it can be seen as a vehicles ability to handle a load without the effect of the load slowing the vehicle.

towing another car is an easy thing to observe. a car with higher torque can pull it without much strain but a low torque car will struggle.

having more cylinders aids in higher torque.