Today we will discuss about horsepower vs torque. These two terms are used to specify an engine or any rotary machine, but lot of people doesn’t know the accurate meaning of these both terms. Horsepower and torque are very useful when you buy a vehicle of a
rotary machine. Before discussing on this topic, first you should learn about the meaning of torque, horsepower and RPM.
What are Torque, RPM and Horsepower?
Torque:
Torque is measure of rotary force. It is works as force
works in linier motion. When a torque is applied on a shaft it rotates or tends
to rotate if the torque is not sufficient. In simple words, the rotary force
applied on a shaft to rotate it is known as torque.
In mathematically torque is the product of tangential force
applied on a shaft and the radius of shaft. The SI unit of torque is N-m (Newton
per meter).
RPM:
RPM is the unit or measure of speed in rotary motion. The
rpm is stand for rotation per minute. If a shaft rotate 50 cycle per minute
mean it has 50 rpm speed. Larger rpm means larger speed.
Horsepower:
Horsepower is the unit or measure of power. Power is the
capacity of do work. Larger power means, more work can do in smaller time.
Mathematically work done per unit time is called power or
product of force and velocity is called power. But in rotary motion Torque is
stand for force and RPM for velocity so the product of torque and RPM is called
power. The SI unit of power is Watt ( J/s). It is equal to the power needed to
move 1N weight bar to one meter in one second. Watt is a very smaller unit so
we used KW and Horsepower (HP) to specify a machine power. One horsepower is
equal to the 735 Watt.
Horsepower vs Torque:
As we know that horsepower is a unit or measure of power and
torque is measure of force in rotary motion. In any rotary machine power is
measured at highest rpm and the torque is at lowest rpm. If a vehicle is
specified 400 HP @ 2000RPM means its maximum power is 400HP. If The same engine
is specified as 2000 N-m @ 1300rpm means it give maximum torque is 2000 N-m.
The torque is measure of force applied to move the vehicle and
the Horsepower is measure of rate of work done.
Torque plays a very important role while choosing a vehicle.
Suppose two vehicles one is a truck and other one is a sports car. Both have
same Horsepower 400 HP but both vehicles are with different each other. Sports
car can't pull a heavy load like 1MT or a truck can't run on speed like 200Kph.
The main difference between these machines is torque. A truck has a higher torque
compare to sport vehicle so it can pull more load but due to power is function
of product of torque and RPM so it has low RPM or speed. In the other hand the
sport car has high RPM but low torque which gives it high speed. Both machines
have same power but gives different uses.
It is seen like that a 1 kg block is move 10 meter or a 10
kg block is move one meter. Both have same power but have different pull force.
These are key difference between them.
The more torque gives high starting power or gives more
pickup to vehicle. So next time, when you go for buy a vehicle considered both
Horsepower and torque and remember torque is pulling force and power means product
of torque and RPM.
Today we have discussed horsepower vs torque. I think now you have better understanding between these. If you have
any doubt regarding this article, ask by commenting.