- #1
HermitOfThebes
- 25
- 0
Question 1:
What exactly is torque? I know this seems like a very vague question the answer of which can be found easily online, but I don't think any website online defines torque properly. The definition of force is a proper definition because it allows us to make predictions, if we know F and M we can find the acceleration. As for torque, all the definitions given are explaining the value of the torque, T = r cross F.
I thought maybe torque was the rotational equivalent of linear Force, in the sense that it is directly proportional to angular acceleration, this turned out to be wrong. If the perpendicular force and the mass are constant, Torque is directly proportional to the r, while the rotational acceleration is inversely proportional to r. So obviously T is not directly proportional to rotational acceleration. What is it then? why is it that things with a higher torque rotate faster? or do they?
I understand that torque determines whether or not something rotates, but how does torque govern the rotation?
Question 2:
Are there any intuitive explanations as to why a smaller force is needed to produce the same torque further away from the axis of rotation? I know the vector equations and the proofs, yet they all seem to come back to the magical equation of T = r x F. My question is, why is this equation true? why is it easier to push a door at the far end? after all, all the particles of the door move the same distance when you open it regardless of where the point of action of the force is.
What exactly is torque? I know this seems like a very vague question the answer of which can be found easily online, but I don't think any website online defines torque properly. The definition of force is a proper definition because it allows us to make predictions, if we know F and M we can find the acceleration. As for torque, all the definitions given are explaining the value of the torque, T = r cross F.
I thought maybe torque was the rotational equivalent of linear Force, in the sense that it is directly proportional to angular acceleration, this turned out to be wrong. If the perpendicular force and the mass are constant, Torque is directly proportional to the r, while the rotational acceleration is inversely proportional to r. So obviously T is not directly proportional to rotational acceleration. What is it then? why is it that things with a higher torque rotate faster? or do they?
I understand that torque determines whether or not something rotates, but how does torque govern the rotation?
Question 2:
Are there any intuitive explanations as to why a smaller force is needed to produce the same torque further away from the axis of rotation? I know the vector equations and the proofs, yet they all seem to come back to the magical equation of T = r x F. My question is, why is this equation true? why is it easier to push a door at the far end? after all, all the particles of the door move the same distance when you open it regardless of where the point of action of the force is.