What is the difference between torque and horsepower?

Question

I don't get it.

Lets say I have a car that has 1000ft/lbs of torque but only 1 horsepower. What will happen when I mash the accelerator to the ground?

What would happen if the car has 1000 horsepower and only 1ft/lb of torque?

Answer 1

Horsepower is a Calculated number. You need to specify both torque and speed thus T and N in RPM

Torque and RPM are measured. Horsepower is calculated. by the following equation.

HP= 2 pi x N x T / 33,000 where pi=3.14, and N= number of reves per minute, and T= measured torque on a dynamometer. The dynamoter it measures RPM and uses a Pony Brake strap to measure torque against an ordinary scale in ft x #'s for that particular RPM, thus the two are interrelated for a particular engine.

So One HP= 33,000 foot pounds of torque per minute.

In your question, notice HP is a linear thing, that is double the torque, you get double the horsepower, so for one to get 1000 HP at 1 ft # of torque youd need a really high RPM engine.

You are putting 1 ft/ #, that is incorrect, it is 1ft x # or 1ft# correctly written.

Answer 2

There's a simple explanation to be found at the site I've listed in the sources area. The hypothetical engine you describe cannot exist, because horsepower is derived from torque.

Answer 3

Well thats sort of impossible.
Torque=towing mostly 0-60mph
Horsepower=speed mostly above 50-60mph

The torque is the grunt feeling when you hit the gas at a green light and horsepower is the pull past 60....