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Horsepower and Torque..What??!

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Old Sep 27, 2005 | 04:40 PM
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Default Horsepower and Torque..What??!

After reviewing John's Thread about the S.A.E. dropping HP ratings for Honda and Toyota. I saw the dispute in the thread between Horsepower and Torque. Many of you claim to know so much about cars, but when it comes down to the science, who really does know?


I know the basics really.
Torque=Force
Horsepower=The amount of energy required to move that "Force"

I want someone that knows Horsepower and Torque down to the science, and able to explain it to us in English.




This should be interesting and helpful for all of us.


Discuss.
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Old Sep 27, 2005 | 05:21 PM
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Got an hour?
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Old Sep 27, 2005 | 06:03 PM
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I have always been taught this way.
Torque = the ability to move something
HP = the ability to keep that object moving.

Just my .02
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Old Sep 27, 2005 | 06:24 PM
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Originally Posted by U TOSLOW
I have always been taught this way.
Torque = the ability to move something
HP = the ability to keep that object moving.

Just my .02

yes and no.

Tourqe is the ability to accelerate something.

almost any car can go 60mph but tq determines how fast you can get to 60mph.


HP is the ability to move something.

a 100hp car or 500hp car can both do 60mph, but the 100hp car won't do 140mph. A 10hp lawnmower won't get to 40mph.


a go kart with say 20hp and 80lb ft of TQ (just go with me on the numbers) will only see maybe 40mph, but it will get their faster than a 500hp car with only 50lb ft of TQ, with all weights being equal. on the other side the 500hp car will catch up to the go jart quickly as the kart tops out at 40mph and the car continues to 150mph+

HP gets you from a to b, and determines top speed ( yes weight is a factor but for simplicity forget weight).

TQ determines how far back your head snaps when you step on the gas. you can have all the tq in the world but with 2hp you'll only win a 2ft race.
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Old Sep 27, 2005 | 06:30 PM
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so with 2 indentical cars, one with 100hp and 100ft-lbs torque, and the other with 100 hp and 200ft-lbs torque. Why would the second one be faster, or would it be?
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Old Sep 27, 2005 | 06:30 PM
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torque is a rotational measurement of force in a linear motion

horsepower is a measurement of the rate at which WORK is done

(this is purely from a physics point of view)


for relating it to cars, i like the old analogy "horsepower is how fast you hit the wall, torque is how far you take it with you", lol

torque gets you moving, horsepower keeps you going in a way
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Last edited by BLUE2KSS; Sep 27, 2005 at 06:33 PM.
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Old Sep 27, 2005 | 06:34 PM
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Originally Posted by Fritchard
so with 2 indentical cars, one with 100hp and 100ft-lbs torque, and the other with 100 hp and 200ft-lbs torque. Why would the second one be faster, or would it be?


as for the specifics, of quick and fast


the quicker car would be the second one, and since the same amount of horsepower, the second would also be faster
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Old Sep 27, 2005 | 06:36 PM
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Originally Posted by power2weight
wow.
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