Torque Calculator
Calculate torque from force, distance and angle.
About this tool
Torque measures a force's tendency to rotate an object around a pivot point: \u03c4 = F \u00d7 r \u00d7 sin(\u03b8), where r is the distance from the pivot and \u03b8 is the angle between the force and the lever arm.
Key Features
- Accounts for the angle between force and lever arm
- Defaults to 90\u00b0 (force perpendicular to the lever), the most common case
- Standard SI units (Newton-meters)
How to Use
- Enter the applied force.
- Enter the distance from the pivot point to where the force is applied.
- Enter the angle between the force and the lever arm (90\u00b0 if the force is perpendicular).
- Click Calculate Torque.
Benefits
- Check torque calculations for wrenches, levers and rotating machinery
- Understand why a perpendicular force produces the most torque
- Verify mechanics homework
Frequently Asked Questions
Only the component of force perpendicular to the lever arm contributes to rotation — a force applied exactly along the lever arm's length (0\u00b0 or 180\u00b0) produces zero torque, while a fully perpendicular force (90\u00b0) produces the maximum torque for a given force and distance.
Pushing a wrench handle straight down (perpendicular to the handle) on a bolt produces more turning force than pushing at a shallow angle — that's why wrenches are most effective used perpendicular to their handle.