Torque vs. Force — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on October 5, 2023
Torque is rotational force about an axis. Force is a push or pull that acts linearly on an object.
Difference Between Torque and Force
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Torque is the measure of the rotational force applied to an object, causing it to rotate around an axis. Force, on the other hand, is the linear push or pull acting on an object, leading to its movement or deformation.
When discussing torque, we often refer to the point of rotation, or the pivot point, and the distance from this point where the force is applied. In contrast, when we talk about force, we consider its direction and magnitude without any reference to a point of rotation.
Torque requires two main components for its calculation: the magnitude of the force and the perpendicular distance from the pivot point. Force, however, is quantified solely by its magnitude and direction.
A wrench turning a bolt provides a good illustration of torque. The force exerted by the hand at a particular distance from the bolt results in torque. If one merely pushes or pulls the wrench without trying to rotate it, that's an application of force.
In physics, torque has a unit of Newton-meters (Nm) or foot-pounds in the imperial system. Force, however, is measured in Newtons (N) in the metric system and pounds-force (lbf) in the imperial system.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
Rotational force about an axis.
Linear push or pull on an object.
Point of Application
At a distance from the pivot point.
Directly on the object.
Units
Newton-meters (Nm), foot-pounds.
Newtons (N), pounds-force (lbf).
Key Components
Magnitude and distance from axis.
Magnitude and direction.
Example
Turning a wrench.
Pushing a door open.
Compare with Definitions
Torque
Torque describes the twisting power of a machine.
The motor's high torque makes it suitable for heavy machinery.
Force
Force is a push or pull acting on an object.
She used force to open the jammed window.
Torque
Torque determines an object's tendency to rotate.
The engine generates torque to spin the wheels.
Force
Forces can be categorized as contact or non-contact.
Gravity is a non-contact force pulling objects towards the earth.
Torque
Torque is a measure of rotational force.
The torque applied to the lug nut allowed the mechanic to remove the tire.
Force
In physics, a force is any influence that, when unopposed, will change the motion of an object. A force can cause an object with mass to change its velocity (which includes to begin moving from a state of rest), i.e., to accelerate.
Torque
Torque is the product of force and the distance from the pivot point.
Using the wrench farther from the bolt increases the torque.
Force
Strength or energy as an attribute of physical action or movement
He was thrown backwards by the force of the explosion
Torque
In physics and mechanics, torque is the rotational equivalent of linear force. It is also referred to as the moment, moment of force, rotational force or turning effect, depending on the field of study.
Force
Coercion or compulsion, especially with the use or threat of violence
They ruled by law and not by force
Torque
The measure of a force's tendency to produce torsion or rotation about an axis, equal to the product of the force vector and the radius vector from the axis of rotation to the point of application of the force; the moment of a force.
Force
Mental or moral strength or power
The force of popular opinion
Torque
A turning or twisting force.
Force
An organized body of military personnel or police
A British peacekeeping force
Torque
A collar, a necklace, or an armband made of a strip of twisted metal, worn by the ancient Celts and Germans.
Force
A waterfall.
Torque
To impart torque to.
Force
Make a way through or into by physical strength; break open by force
The back door of the bank was forced
Torque
A rotational or twisting effect of a force; a moment of force, defined for measurement purposes as an equivalent straight line force multiplied by the distance from the axis of rotation (SI unit newton metre or Nm; imperial unit [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pound-foot_(torque) pound-foot] or lb·ft, not to be confused with the foot pound-force, commonly "foot-pound", a unit of work or energy)
Force
Make (someone) do something against their will
The universities were forced to cut staff
She was forced into early retirement
Torque
A tightly braided necklace or collar, often made of metal, worn by various early European peoples.
Force
The capacity to do work or cause physical change; energy, strength, or active power
The force of an explosion.
Torque
To make something rotate about an axis by imparting torque to it.
Force
Power made operative against resistance; exertion
Use force in driving a nail.
Torque
A collar or neck chain, usually twisted, especially as worn by ancient barbaric nations, as the Gauls, Germans, and Britons.
Force
The use of physical power or violence to compel or restrain
A confession obtained by force.
Torque
That which tends to produce torsion; a couple of forces.
Force
Intellectual power or vigor, especially as conveyed in writing or speech.
Torque
A turning or twisting; tendency to turn, or cause to turn, about an axis.
Force
Moral strength.
Torque
A twisting force
Force
A capacity for affecting the mind or behavior; efficacy
The force of logical argumentation.
Torque
Torque is the rotational equivalent of linear force.
While the motor applies force, the gears convert it into torque.
Force
One that possesses such capacity
The forces of evil.
Force
A body of persons or other resources organized or available for a certain purpose
A large labor force.
Force
A person or group capable of influential action
A retired senator who is still a force in national politics.
Force
Military strength.
Force
A unit of a nation's military personnel, especially one deployed into combat
Our armed forces have at last engaged the enemy.
Force
A vector quantity indicating the strength and direction of the capacity to accelerate a body. Newton's second law of motion states that a free body accelerates in the direction of the net force and that its acceleration is directly proportional to the force and inversely proportional to its mass.
Force
See fundamental force.
Force
(Baseball) A force play.
Force
To compel through pressure or necessity
I forced myself to practice daily. He was forced to take a second job.
Force
To gain by the use of force or coercion
Force a confession.
Force
To move or effect against resistance or inertia
Forced my foot into the shoe.
Force
To inflict or impose relentlessly
He forced his ideas upon the group.
Force
To put undue strain on
She forced her voice despite being hoarse.
Force
To increase or accelerate (a pace, for example) to the maximum.
Force
To produce with effort and against one's will
Force a laugh in spite of pain.
Force
To use (language) with obvious lack of ease and naturalness.
Force
To move, open, or clear by force
Forced our way through the crowd.
Force
To break down or open by force
Force a lock.
Force
To rape.
Force
To induce change in (a complex system) by changing one of its parameters
Greenhouse gases that force the earth's climate.
Force
(Botany) To cause to grow or mature by artificially accelerating normal processes.
Force
To put (a runner) out on a force play.
Force
To allow (a run) to be scored by walking a batter when the bases are loaded.
Force
(Games) To cause an opponent to play (a particular card).
Force
Strength or energy of body or mind; active power; vigour; might; capacity of exercising an influence or producing an effect.
The force of an appeal, an argument, or a contract
Force
Power exerted against will or consent; compulsory power; violence; coercion.
Force
(countable) Anything that is able to make a substantial change in a person or thing.
Force
A physical quantity that denotes ability to push, pull, twist or accelerate a body and which has a direction and is measured in a unit dimensioned in mass × distance/time² (ML/T²): SI: newton (N); CGS: dyne (dyn)
Force
Something or anything that has the power to produce a physical effect upon something else, such as causing it to move or change shape.
Force
(countable) A group that aims to attack, control, or constrain.
Reinforcemented increased the American force in the area to 9,000
Police force
Force
(uncountable) The ability to attack, control, or constrain.
Show of force
Force
(countable) A magic trick in which the outcome is known to the magician beforehand, especially one involving the apparent free choice of a card by another person.
Force
(legal) Legal validity.
The law will come into force in January.
Force
(legal) Either unlawful violence, as in a "forced entry", or lawful compulsion.
Force
Ability of an utterance or its element (word, form, prosody, ...) to effect a given meaning.
Force
|often|capitalized}}Star Wars A metaphysical and ubiquitous power from the fictional Star Wars universe created by George Lucas. See usage note.
Force
Synonym of police force
Force
A waterfall or cascade.
Force
(transitive) To violate (a woman); to rape.
Force
To exert oneself, to do one's utmost.
Force
(transitive) To compel (someone or something) to do something.
Force
(transitive) To constrain by force; to overcome the limitations or resistance of.
Force
(transitive) To drive (something) by force, to propel (generally + prepositional phrase or adverb).
Force
(transitive) To cause to occur (despite inertia, resistance etc.); to produce through force.
The comedian's jokes weren't funny, but I forced a laugh now and then.
Force
(transitive) To forcibly open (a door, lock etc.).
To force a lock.
Force
To obtain or win by strength; to take by violence or struggle; specifically, to capture by assault; to storm, as a fortress.
Force
To create an out by touching a base in advance of a runner who has no base to return to while in possession of a ball which has already touched the ground.
Jones forced the runner at second by stepping on the bag.
Force
(whist) To compel (an adversary or partner) to trump a trick by leading a suit that he/she does not hold.
Force
(archaic) To put in force; to cause to be executed; to make binding; to enforce.
Force
(archaic) To provide with forces; to reinforce; to strengthen by soldiers; to man; to garrison.
Force
(obsolete) To allow the force of; to value; to care for.
Force
To stuff; to lard; to farce.
Force
To stuff; to lard; to farce.
Wit larded with malice, and malice forced with wit.
Force
To constrain to do or to forbear, by the exertion of a power not resistible; to compel by physical, moral, or intellectual means; to coerce; as, masters force slaves to labor.
Force
To compel, as by strength of evidence; as, to force conviction on the mind.
Force
To do violence to; to overpower, or to compel by violence to one's will; especially, to ravish; to violate; to commit rape upon.
To force their monarch and insult the court.
I should have forced thee soon wish other arms.
To force a spotless virgin's chastity.
Force
To obtain, overcome, or win by strength; to take by violence or struggle; specifically, to capture by assault; to storm, as a fortress; as, to force the castle; to force a lock.
Force
To impel, drive, wrest, extort, get, etc., by main strength or violence; - with a following adverb, as along, away, from, into, through, out, etc.
It stuck so fast, so deeply buried layThat scarce the victor forced the steel away.
To force the tyrant from his seat by war.
Ethelbert ordered that none should be forced into religion.
Force
To put in force; to cause to be executed; to make binding; to enforce.
What can the church force more?
Force
To exert to the utmost; to urge; hence, to strain; to urge to excessive, unnatural, or untimely action; to produce by unnatural effort; as, to force a conceit or metaphor; to force a laugh; to force fruits.
High on a mounting wave my head I bore,Forcing my strength, and gathering to the shore.
Force
To compel (an adversary or partner) to trump a trick by leading a suit of which he has none.
Force
To provide with forces; to reënforce; to strengthen by soldiers; to man; to garrison.
Force
To allow the force of; to value; to care for.
For me, I force not argument a straw.
Force
To use violence; to make violent effort; to strive; to endeavor.
Forcing with gifts to win his wanton heart.
Force
To make a difficult matter of anything; to labor; to hesitate; hence, to force of, to make much account of; to regard.
Your oath once broke, you force not to forswear.
I force not of such fooleries.
Force
To be of force, importance, or weight; to matter.
It is not sufficient to have attained the name and dignity of a shepherd, not forcing how.
Force
A waterfall; a cascade.
To see the falls for force of the river Kent.
Force
Capacity of exercising an influence or producing an effect; strength or energy of body or mind; active power; vigor; might; often, an unusual degree of strength or energy; especially, power to persuade, or convince, or impose obligation; pertinency; validity; special signification; as, the force of an appeal, an argument, a contract, or a term.
He was, in the full force of the words, a good man.
Force
Power exerted against will or consent; compulsory power; violence; coercion; as, by force of arms; to take by force.
Which now they hold by force, and not by right.
Force
Strength or power for war; hence, a body of land or naval combatants, with their appurtenances, ready for action; - an armament; troops; warlike array; - often in the plural; hence, a body of men prepared for action in other ways; as, the laboring force of a plantation; the armed forces.
Is Lucius general of the forces?
Force
Strength or power exercised without law, or contrary to law, upon persons or things; violence.
Force
Any action between two bodies which changes, or tends to change, their relative condition as to rest or motion; or, more generally, which changes, or tends to change, any physical relation between them, whether mechanical, thermal, chemical, electrical, magnetic, or of any other kind; as, the force of gravity; cohesive force; centrifugal force.
Thy tears are of no force to mollifyThis flinty man.
More huge in strength than wise in works he was.
Adam and first matron EveHad ended now their orisons, and foundStrength added from above, new hope to springOut of despair.
Force
A unit that is part of some military service;
He sent Caesar a force of six thousand men
Force
One possessing or exercising power or influence or authority;
The mysterious presence of an evil power
May the force be with you
The forces of evil
Force
(physics) the influence that produces a change in a physical quantity;
Force equals mass times acceleration
Force
Group of people willing to obey orders;
A public force is necessary to give security to the rights of citizens
Force
A powerful effect or influence;
The force of his eloquence easily persuaded them
Force
An act of aggression (as one against a person who resists);
He may accomplish by craft in the long run what he cannot do by force and violence in the short one
Force
Physical energy or intensity;
He hit with all the force he could muster
It was destroyed by the strength of the gale
A government has not the vitality and forcefulness of a living man
Force
A group of people having the power of effective action;
He joined forces with a band of adventurers
Force
(of a law) having legal validity;
The law is still in effect
Force
To cause to do through pressure or necessity, by physical, moral or intellectual means :
She forced him to take a job in the city
He squeezed her for information
Force
Urge or force (a person) to an action; constrain or motivate
Force
Move with force,
He pushed the table into a corner
Force
Impose or thrust urgently, importunately, or inexorably;
She forced her diet fads on him
Force
Squeeze like a wedge into a tight space;
I squeezed myself into the corner
Force
Force into or from an action or state, either physically or metaphorically;
She rammed her mind into focus
He drives me mad
Force
Do forcibly; exert force;
Don't force it!
Force
Cause to move along the ground by pulling;
Draw a wagon
Pull a sled
Force
Take by force;
Storm the fort
Force
Force can change an object's state of motion.
The force of the wind moved the sailboat.
Force
Force has magnitude and direction.
The force of the punch was strong and directly to the target.
Force
Force can deform an object.
The force of the hammer dented the metal.
Common Curiosities
What is torque in simple terms?
Torque is rotational force applied to an object.
How are torque and force different?
Torque is about rotation, while force concerns linear movement or deformation.
Can torque exist without force?
No, torque is a result of force applied at a distance from a pivot point.
What are the units of force?
Force is measured in Newtons (N) or pounds-force (lbf).
How is force described?
Force is a linear push or pull on an object.
Is friction a force?
Yes, friction is a resistive force opposing relative motion.
Is weight a force?
Yes, weight is the gravitational force acting on an object's mass.
Is torque only applicable to circular objects?
No, any object can experience torque if a force is applied off its center.
What's an example of force in daily life?
Pushing a shopping cart is an application of force.
Does more torque mean faster acceleration?
Yes, higher torque can lead to faster acceleration in vehicles.
What factors affect torque?
Magnitude of force and its distance from the pivot point affect torque.
Can force act at a distance?
Yes, some forces, like gravity and magnetism, act at a distance without contact.
How is torque measured?
Torque is measured in Newton-meters (Nm) or foot-pounds.
Can torque and force be negative?
Yes, their signs often indicate direction or opposing actions.
Can an object have force without motion?
Yes, objects in equilibrium experience forces without motion.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
