What is the main difference between horsepower and torque?

Answer 1

http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mhorsepower.html

http://www.car-videos.com/articles/horsepower_torque.asp

Answer 2

Horsepower is generated by your engine and various add ons, like exhaust, carbs, intakes and stuff like that. Torque is generated by a combination of engine and drive train. It's horsepower that makes it to the back wheels.
Horsepower = speed
Torque = pulling power

Answer 3

torque is rotatational force so torque accelerates you and keeps you going

horsepower is a measurement of how much trowue can be transferred over a peroid of time so that determines speed

Answer 4

Torque is the rotational or twisting force, usually measured in foot pounds.
Horsepower is the rotational force (torque) multiplied by the speed of the rotation measured in RPM.

Clear as mud?

Answer 5

Mechanics. A twisting force that tends to cause rotation.

hp. A unit of power equal to 550 foot-pounds per second(745.7 watts)

i.e. You must apply specified torque (foot-pounds) when tightening machine parts. This is just an example, but always check the "spec".

Answer 6

horsepower is the amount of power that a vehicle has...and it can still go fast and not pull very well....
Torque is that thing that "sits you back in your seat"
it is the amount of pulling power that a vehicle has

Answer 7

Torque is what gets you moving.
Horsepower is what determines how fast you go.

Answer 8

torque is how much power makes it to the wheels

Answer 9

There's not an easy answer for this.

http://www.vettenet.org/torquehp.html

ADDED:
Horsepower is directional energy.
Torque is rotational energy.