Torque

<p>In <a href="/facts/Physics/a7aH2y08">physics</a> and <a href="/facts/Mechanics/A3yHLQA5">mechanics</a>, torque is the <a href="/facts/Rotational/yChkz49x">rotational</a> analogue of linear <a href="/facts/Force/533Q1uzq">force</a>. It is also referred to as the moment of force (also abbreviated to moment). The symbol for torque is typically 
  
    
      
        
          τ
        
      
    
    {\displaystyle {\boldsymbol {\tau }}}
  
, the lowercase <a href="/facts/Greek_alphabet/1cHwB8Dg">Greek letter</a> <i><a href="/facts/Tau/gfvnmJoH">tau</a></i>. When being referred to as <a href="/facts/Moment_(physics)/WvgxtdhP">moment</a> of force, it is commonly denoted by M. Just as a linear force is a push or a pull applied to a body, a torque can be thought of as a twist applied to an object with respect to a chosen point; for example, driving a <a href="/facts/Screw/Rr0k38TC">screw</a> uses torque to force it into an object, which is applied by the <a href="/facts/Screwdriver/vJrJRlPz">screwdriver</a> rotating around its <a href="/facts/Axis_of_rotation/PGcg3IY5">axis</a> to the <a href="/facts/List_of_screw_drives/xLLCffFq">drives</a> on the head.
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Torque open-in-new

Torque