what does torque mean!?!?!?

um can some one define to me what torque means i think i know what it means but not sure thanx

Technically Torque = Cylinder Pressure x Cylinder Capacity, but i have no idea how to use that (im guessing cylinder pressure is the compression ratio.)

Someone will DEFINATELY provide a better explaination, but i would think it defines the tractability of an engine, ie ability to pull from X revs, also the expression of power is derived from torque, because.....
Power = Torque * RPM

So a bike (or car) that has lots of torque will make its power low down the rev range, this is due to the fact that a big engine (or one with less cylinders, like the SV) will have a longer stroke and bigger power pulses per cylinder, so because of the long stroke it cant rev as high, but the power that is made in each cylinder is bigger, due to the larger capacity.

I cant think of much more right now...

lol well i am a noobie and dont realy understand wot u just sed that well, i kinda get ya but i think ill need to read it a few times to understand it, if there is another way you or some one els can explane it that would be gr8 heh

[sv4me]

If I can remember my GCSE Physics lessons torque is the force that turns or rotates things. Like if youre tightening a screw, youre applying torque to it

Torques measured by the force youre putting on it X the distance from the centre of the object. Its in lb/ft so if you were using a foot long wrench on a nut and putting 200lb of pressure on it the torque would be 200lb/ft

Got it? No? Good,neither have I

Basically I think the pistons go up and down in the engine and they turn the crankshaft, producing the torque. More torque in an engine means more low down grunt and faster overtaking

My head hurts now im going for a lie down

erm well.

I hoped you understood the bit on basic torque.

The stroke and torque bit could be explained better.

Ok hold your arm infront of your face with your elbow bent, now move it upwards to the full extension of your arm, then back down to starting position and back up again, you cant do it very much due to you arm having to travel all the way up, this is like a long stroke cylinder, however, move it halfway to where it was and back down, you can do it many more times, this is a high revving short stroke cylinder.

Now, this is why cars dont rev as high as bikes, because bikes have smaller engines and shorter stokes.

So remember

Bigger engines = more torque (which means power is created lower in the rev range)

Less Cylinders = more torque ( a 600CC single cylinder will have a much longer stroke than a 600CC 4 cylinder engine) but it wont rev as high, hence less power due to Power = Toque * rpm.

That could probably be more simple again but ill have to get thinking

So is torque just another word for power then like how mutch power the engine is giving out?

yep, power doesnt exist though, only torque exists in the real world.

Power is derived from toque, but yes torque is a measurement of power.

[ophic]

Originally Posted by Jp

yep, power doesnt exist though, only torque exists in the real world.

Power is derived from toque, but yes torque is a measurement of power.

i might attempt an explanation tomorrow, but for the moment you're confusing the poor lad. Torque is basically a measure of force and power is a measure of work done in a certain amount of time. Torque most certainly is not the same as power.

<--- Poor Confused Lad

Originally Posted by ophic

i might attempt an explanation tomorrow, but for the moment you're confusing the poor lad. Torque is basically a measure of force and power is a measure of work done in a certain amount of time. Torque most certainly is not the same as power.

I meant power in BHP terms not as in Power = Energy/Time, not many people use wattage for engines, apart from the silly DSA.

I admit i am confusing things though, i know what im thinking, i just cant put it down on the screen, probably explains my exam results

Sorry Didge

I do study physics though, and (ignore this didge) Torqe = force * distance, but also work = force * distance.

So, because work is energy (kinetic energy here) Power = Force * distance/ time so thats actual torque over time, as in the RPM right?

So power is directly linked to torque, no matter what its form