VtSkier wrote:
Walt wrote:

Pound is the unit of force in the English system. Weight is the force
that is due to gravity, but it's a force all the same so that's why we
express weight in units of force: i.e. pounds.

Newton is the unit of force in the metric system.

Yes, but, generally... Force = Weight
And I realize I got my units wrong.

Weight is just one particular kind of force (force due to gravity).
It's a common force, but not the only one. Weight is force. But force
is not necessarily weight.

Torque is rotational force, and is expressed as the force times the

Almost but not quite.
Pound-foot and Newton-meter are measures of WORK which is
the movement of a weight or force over a distance. Then
Torque is rotational WORK.

In this case, a torque wrench operates in a rotational
mode.

BTW, I actually meant to hit Cancel, but hit Send instead. mea culpa.

But, now that I'm in the middle of the argument, torque is force applied
at some distance, hence it has units of force X length (i.e. foot-pounds
or newton-metres)

Work (energy) also has units of force x distance, but to say that torque
is equivalent to work is not quite correct. For instance, if I'm trying
to unscrew a nut, but can't get the &%^$*! thing to move I may be
exerting substantial torque but I'm not doing any work since nothing's
moving.

Torque is not a form of work or energy, although the units are the same.


//Walt