To calculate the torque required to lift a 100N mass using a pulley with a 26mm radius, the formula T = f * r is applied, where f is the force (100N) and r is the radius (0.026m). The calculation yields a torque value in Newton-meters. The discussion clarifies that gravitational acceleration (g) is unnecessary since the force is already given in Newtons. When considering the equation T = I * α, it is noted that this applies when the pulley has mass and angular acceleration is relevant. Increasing the width of the pulley does not affect the torque calculation directly, but it may influence the moment of inertia.