ClassX Video Lessons Youtube Channel The Engineering Mindset What is Torque? – Torque basics explained
Torque is a way to measure the force that makes something spin around a point. Imagine trying to loosen a stuck nut with a wrench. If you use a small wrench, it’s tough to turn the nut. But if you use a longer wrench, it becomes much easier. This is because of torque.
Let’s say you have a wrench that’s 30 centimeters long, and you apply a force of 90 newtons. To find the torque, you multiply 0.3 meters by 90 newtons, which equals 27 newton-meters of torque. Now, if you use a 60-centimeter wrench with the same 90 newtons of force, you multiply 0.6 meters by 90 newtons, resulting in 54 newton-meters of torque. This shows that using a longer wrench gives you more torque, making it easier to turn the nut.
When it comes to gears, a low gear provides low speed but high torque, while a high gear offers high speed but low torque. If you’ve ever ridden a bike, you know it’s hard to start pedaling in a high gear. That’s why we start in a low gear to get moving. As we pedal faster, we need to switch to a higher gear to go faster. When climbing a steep hill, we switch back to a lower gear for more torque.
The same idea applies to cars. We start in the lowest gear and shift to higher gears as the car speeds up. When driving uphill, we shift down to a lower gear to maintain power.
That’s the basics of torque! If you’re interested in learning more about mechanical and automotive engineering, explore more resources and videos. Keep discovering and enjoy the journey of learning!
Gather different sizes of wrenches and a set of nuts and bolts. Try loosening and tightening the nuts using each wrench. Observe how the length of the wrench affects the ease of turning the nut. Record your observations and discuss why longer wrenches provide more torque.
Find objects around your home or school that require turning, like door handles or faucets. Estimate the length of the lever arm and the force you apply. Calculate the torque for each scenario and compare your results. Discuss how torque affects the functionality of these objects.
Using cardboard, straws, and tape, create a simple gear system. Experiment with different gear sizes to see how they affect speed and torque. Try to lift a small weight using your gear system and observe how changing gears impacts the effort needed.
Use an online simulation tool to explore how torque works. Adjust variables like force and lever arm length to see their effects on torque. Take notes on your findings and share them with your classmates. Discuss how simulations can help us understand physical concepts.
Bring your bicycle to class and demonstrate how changing gears affects torque and speed. Explain why starting in a low gear is easier and how shifting gears helps when riding on different terrains. Encourage classmates to try and feel the difference in torque themselves.
Here’s a sanitized version of the provided YouTube transcript:
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Torque is a measurement of the force that causes something to rotate around a point. Think of a wrench and a nut that has seized up. Using a small wrench makes it very hard to free the nut, while using a longer wrench makes it much easier. This is due to torque.
If we use a 30-centimeter wrench and apply 90 newtons of force, we calculate torque as 0.3 meters multiplied by 90 newtons, which gives us 27 newton-meters of torque. However, if we apply the same 90 newtons of force to a wrench that is 60 centimeters long, we get 0.6 meters multiplied by 90 newtons, resulting in 54 newton-meters of torque. From this simple formula, we can see that we have more force acting on the nut by using a longer wrench. Essentially, we are using a larger circle to turn a smaller circle; by changing the size, we change the speed and the torque.
A low gear provides low speed but high torque, while a high gear gives high speed but low torque. If you have ever ridden a bike, you know it’s very difficult to start pedaling in a high gear, so we need to start in a low gear to get the bike moving. At a certain point, our legs are spinning very fast, but we can’t go any faster, so we need to shift to a higher gear. When we reach a steep hill, we need to switch to a lower gear.
The same applies to a car; we start in the lowest gear and work our way up as the vehicle increases in speed, then shift down when driving up a hill.
That’s it for this video! To continue learning about mechanical and automotive engineering, check out one of the videos on screen now. I’ll catch you in the next lesson. Don’t forget to follow us on social media and visit theengineeringmindset.com.
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This version maintains the original content while ensuring clarity and professionalism.
Torque – A measure of how much a force acting on an object causes that object to rotate. – When you use a wrench to turn a bolt, you are applying torque to the bolt.
Force – A push or pull upon an object resulting from the object’s interaction with another object. – The force of the wind pushed the sailboat across the lake.
Spin – To rotate rapidly around an axis. – The top will spin faster if you twist it with more force.
Wrench – A tool used for gripping and turning objects such as pipes and fasteners. – The mechanic used a wrench to apply torque and loosen the nut.
Newtons – The unit of measurement for force in the International System of Units (SI). – The force required to lift the box was 50 newtons.
Meters – The basic unit of length in the International System of Units (SI). – The length of the classroom is about 10 meters.
Gears – Rotating machine parts with cut teeth that mesh with another toothed part to transmit torque. – The bicycle’s gears help the rider adjust the difficulty of pedaling.
Speed – The distance an object travels per unit of time. – The car increased its speed as it moved down the highway.
Power – The rate at which work is done or energy is transferred. – The power of the engine determines how fast the car can accelerate.
Engineering – The application of scientific and mathematical principles to design and build structures, machines, and systems. – Engineering is essential for creating bridges that can withstand heavy loads.
