torque


torque

In physics, the tendency of a force to rotate the body to which it is applied. Torque is always specified with regard to the axis of rotation. It is equal to the magnitude of the component of the force lying in the plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation, multiplied by the shortest distance between the axis and the direction of the force component. Torque is the force that affects rotational motion; the greater the torque, the greater the change in this motion.

Variants of TORQUE

torque or moment

This entry comes from Encyclopædia Britannica Concise.
For the full entry on torque, visit Britannica.com.

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