Torque Torque Torque, moment, or moment of force is the rotational equivalent of linear force. The concept originated with the studies of Archimedes on the usage of levers. Just as a linear force is a push or a pull, a torque can be thought of as a twist to an object. The symbol for torque is typically formula_1, the lowercase Greek letter "tau". When being referred to as moment of force, it is commonly denoted by "M". In three dimensions, the torque is a pseudovector; for point particles, it is given by the cross product of the position vector (distance vector)
Torque amplifier Torque amplifier A torque amplifier is a mechanical device that amplifies the torque of a rotating shaft without affecting its rotational speed. It is mechanically related to the capstan seen on ships. Its most widely known use is in the power steering on automobiles. Another use is on the differential analyzer, where it was used to increase the output torque of the otherwise limited ball-and-disk integrator. The term is also applied to some gearboxes used on tractors, although this is unrelated. It differs from a torque converter, in which the rotational speed of the output shaft decreases as the torque