Torques, Theoretically speaking.?

Question

I have trouble perceiving torques. We can feel the linear force because when someone pushes us we tend to fall into that direction and then we yell at that person :). However I wanted to know if I were to feel a torque how would that compare? So far my perception of a torque is just numbers and symbols.

Answer 1

Torque can be perceived as a rotation-inducing-force. If someone looking at you shoves your right shoulder, say, you will feel your body forced to rotate to the left. Contrast this with a shove in the middle of your chest, which just pushes you linearly backward.

Answer 2

I like to think of a torque as a twisting load. A socket wrench with a long handle will produce a very satisfactory torque on a nut that is being tightened. The wrench will not slide the nut to one side - that would be a force. Instead, you are applying a force at a distance - the distance is the moment arm represented by the long handle - in order to twist the nut, not slide it or push it. This quite different from a pure force, and is controlled by laws that are related to but not identical to those dealing with pure force.

Answer 3

take the output shaf of any engine and grap hold of it firmly.

now turn the engine on.

thats the only way i know of that you could feel torque


torque is simple rotational force.

if you turn a wrench that is a way to "feel" torque too i guess.

you may think its linear but its in fact a rotation (of the wrench and nut) and therfore you are creating torque.

you are exerting a linear force on the wrench which is changing direction.

thats the best i can do to describe it.. it may not make sense.

heres a link i found on the subject, but im sure uve already heard this stuff. (they even use an example of a wrench in there... sweet)