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The simplest kind of couple consists of two equal and opposite forces whose lines of action do not coincide. This is called a "simple couple". [1] The forces have a turning effect or moment called a torque about an axis which is normal (perpendicular) to the plane of the forces. The SI unit for the torque of the couple is newton metre.
In physics and mechanics, torque is the rotational analogue of linear force. [1] 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 Greek letter tau .
The ancient Greek understanding of physics was limited to the statics of simple machines (the balance of forces), and did not include dynamics or the concept of work. During the Renaissance the dynamics of the Mechanical Powers, as the simple machines were called, began to be studied from the standpoint of how far they could lift a load, in addition to the force they could apply, leading ...
Both energy and torque can be expressed as a product of a force vector with a displacement vector (hence pounds and feet); energy is the scalar product of the two, and torque is the vector product. Although calling the torque unit "pound-foot" has been academically suggested, both are still commonly called "foot-pound" in colloquial usage.
Torque can be defined as the rate of change of angular momentum, analogous to force. The net external torque on any system is always equal to the total torque on the system; the sum of all internal torques of any system is always 0 (this is the rotational analogue of Newton's third law of motion).
In physics and engineering, a resultant force is the single force and associated torque obtained by combining a system of forces and torques acting on a rigid body via vector addition. The defining feature of a resultant force, or resultant force-torque, is that it has the same effect on the rigid body as the original system of forces. [1]
Torsion of a square section bar Example of torsion mechanics. In the field of solid mechanics, torsion is the twisting of an object due to an applied torque. [1] [2] Torsion could be defined as strain [3] [4] or angular deformation, [5] and is measured by the angle a chosen section is rotated from its equilibrium position. [6]
The work can be done, for example, by generators, (electrochemical cells) or thermocouples generating an electromotive force. Electric field work is formally equivalent to work by other force fields in physics, [1] and the formalism for electrical work is identical to that of mechanical work.