Vääntövoimaa

Vääntövoimaa, often translated as torque or twisting force, is a concept in physics that describes the rotational equivalent of linear force. It is the measure of how much a force acting on an object causes that object to rotate. The magnitude of vääntövoimaa depends on three factors: the magnitude of the applied force, the distance from the axis of rotation to the point where the force is applied (this distance is called the lever arm), and the angle between the force vector and the lever arm. Mathematically, vääntövoimaa is calculated as the product of the force and the lever arm, and is often represented by the Greek letter tau (τ).

Vääntövoimaa is essential for understanding rotational motion. For example, when you turn a doorknob, you apply a force at a distance from the hinge, creating vääntövoimaa that rotates the door. Similarly, an engine produces vääntövoimaa to turn the crankshaft, which ultimately powers a vehicle. In engineering, vääntövoimaa is a critical parameter for designing and analyzing rotating machinery. A larger vääntövoimaa implies a greater ability to cause rotation or to resist an external rotational force. The unit of vääntövoimaa in the International System of Units (SI) is the newton-meter (N·m).