Written by the Fiveable Content Team โข Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 examโขWritten by the Fiveable Content Team โข Last updated September 2025
Definition
Torque refers to the rotational equivalent of linear force. It is a measure of how effectively a force can cause an object to rotate or twist around an axis.
Related terms
Moment Arm: The moment arm is defined as the perpendicular distance between an axis of rotation and where a force acts.
Lever Arm: A lever arm is similar to moment arm but specifically refers to a rigid bar that rotates around an axis.
Angular Acceleration: Angular acceleration measures how quickly an object's angular velocity changes over time.