What does torque mean?
Torque is a vector that refers to the twisting moment applied to an object to cause it to start rotating about an axis, fulcrum, or pivot.
Torque is also called torsion because it refers to the twisting of an object.
Torque is calculated as the product of force and the position vector r where the force is applied. The SI unit of torque is the Newton meter or Nm.
T = rx F
When a force greater than the tensile strength of the object is applied, the object tends to deform because of the large amount of strain acting on the object. Deformation is the change in shape or size of an object due to an applied force or a change in temperature.
Deformation usually manifests as strain and is usually caused by the following forces:
stretch (pull)
compression (push)
to cut
bending
twist (twist)
Torque plays an important role since most equipment is subject to axial rotation. If not protected with corrosion-resistant paint or coatings, equipment operating in harsh corrosive environments can become weak and prone to failure when subjected to small amounts of twisting.
