A constant torque does work as it acts through an angular displacement.
Difficulty
Intermediate
Read time
5 min
Prerequisites
Basic algebra, consistent units, and the stated model assumptions
Source
OpenStax, College Physics 2e, §10.4 (Paul Peter Urone and Roger Hinrichs)OpenFormulaGraph equation reference; FormuLab adaptation details and license are provided below.
Adapted from OpenFormulaGraph, under CC BY 4.0.
FormuLab adapted wording, notation, applicability conditions and topic placement, and expanded the numerical check into a worked example. The textbook section reference was corrected.
A constant torque does work as it acts through an angular displacement. Only the torque component along the rotation axis contributes to this scalar expression.
| Symbol | Meaning | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Work (rotational) | ||
| Torque | ||
| Angular displacement |
Find work transferred through angular travel.
Compare work for different constant torques.
A constant +5 N·m torque acts through +2 rad. Find the work it does.
OpenFormulaGraph equation reference; FormuLab adaptation details and license are provided below.
Adapted from OpenFormulaGraph, under CC BY 4.0.
FormuLab adapted wording, notation, applicability conditions and topic placement, and expanded the numerical check into a worked example. The textbook section reference was corrected.
Assumptions
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