(Posted on May 5, 2018 at 12:00AM by Reanne Derkson)
Torque is one of those words that gets thrown around a lot in the auto industry as it relates to performance. Like, did you know the 2019 INFINITI QX50 is capable of producing 268 HP with 280 lb-ft of torque? While we understand that HP is in reference to the get-up-and-go factor of a vehicle, let’s take a look at what the latter variable has to do with things.
Picture a lug wrench on a bolt. When you turn that wrench, you’re applying a twisting force that rotates an object. However, according to How Stuff Works, “unlike HP, even if the object doesn't move, torque can still be exerted on it.†This makes sense if we consider our example. If the bolt is already as tight as it can be, we can still exert a force onto the lever regardless of whether or not it is affected.
Okay, so now that we understand what it is, let’s discuss how it’s measured. Using a pounds-feet scale — or lb-ft, for short — the "pounds" relates to the force, while the feet are indicative of the actual length of a lever. So, if you apply 100 lbs of pressure onto an arm that is 1 ft long, the result is 100 lb-ft of torque. Â
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At the end of the day, torque tells us how much work is being done, whereas HP refers to how fast it's happening.
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