Convert between various units of torque, including newton meters, foot-pounds, inch-pounds, and more.
Multiply the number of newton meters by 0.737562 to get foot-pounds.
Example: 10 Nm × 0.737562 = 7.37562 ft-lb
Multiply the number of foot-pounds by 1.35582 to get newton meters.
Example: 5 ft-lb × 1.35582 = 6.7791 Nm
Multiply the number of inch-pounds by 0.113 to get newton meters.
Example: 20 in-lb × 0.113 = 2.26 Nm
Torque, also known as moment of force, is the rotational equivalent of linear force. It measures the tendency of a force to rotate an object around an axis. The SI unit of torque is the newton meter (N·m), which is equal to the torque produced by a force of one newton applied perpendicularly to a moment arm of one meter length.
Torque (τ) is calculated as the cross product of the position vector (r) and the force vector (F):
Where τ is torque, r is the position vector (distance from axis of rotation), F is the force vector, and θ is the angle between r and F. The magnitude is maximum when the force is applied perpendicular to the lever arm (θ = 90°).
| Application | Typical Torque Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Screwdriver (hand-tight) | 1-3 N·m | Manual tightening of small screws |
| Bicycle wheel nuts | 15-20 N·m | Standard tightening for wheel axle nuts |
| Car wheel lug nuts | 100-150 N·m | Secures wheels to vehicle axle |
| Small car engine | 100-200 N·m | Peak torque output of 1.0-1.5L engines |
| Sports car engine | 400-600 N·m | High-performance vehicle engines |
| Heavy-duty truck engine | 1,500-3,000 N·m | Diesel engines for commercial trucks |
| Industrial turbine | 10,000+ N·m | Large power generation equipment |
In rotational systems, power (P) is related to torque (τ) and angular velocity (ω) by:
Where P is in watts, τ is in newton meters, and ω is in radians per second. Using RPM (revolutions per minute) instead:
While force causes an object to accelerate linearly according to F = ma, torque causes an object to rotate with an angular acceleration according to τ = Iα, where:
When using a torque wrench for mechanical work:
