Torque Calculator
Calculate torque from force, lever arm, and angle.
Check Torque Calculator
Formula result
Check before you use it
What the numbers show
The answer shows how strongly the force tends to rotate the system about the chosen pivot.
Use torque calculator for lever problems, wrench force checks, and rotational equilibrium setup.
Torque is largest when the force is perpendicular to the lever arm.
Copy-ready formula handoff
Use this after solving the live calculator result, then paste the answer into a lab note, homework check, or engineering review.
tau = r * F * sin(theta)
- Torque: Rotational effect of the applied force about the pivot.
- Lever arm: Distance from pivot to point of force application.
- Force: Applied force magnitude.
- Angle: Angle between the lever arm and the force direction.
- The result is a magnitude around one pivot point.
- Only the perpendicular component of force contributes to torque.
- Measuring the lever arm from the wrong pivot or to the wrong point of force application.
- Using the angle from the lever to the surface instead of the angle between lever arm and force direction.
Torque Calculator result: [paste the solved value from the calculator above]. Formula used: tau = r * F * sin(theta) Inputs checked: Torque, Lever arm, Force, Angle. Assumptions: The result is a magnitude around one pivot point. Only the perpendicular component of force contributes to torque. Worked example: 18 N force acts on a 0.45 m lever arm at 90 degrees. Enter F = 18 N, r = 0.45 m, and theta = 90 deg. Apply tau = r * F * sin(theta). Result: tau = 8.1 N*m. Next check: Measuring the lever arm from the wrong pivot or to the wrong point of force application.
Equation context
Built for lever problems, wrench force checks, and rotational equilibrium setup. This page pairs the live calculator with the governing formula, variable glossary, and a worked example so the result is easier to trust and reuse.
Quick entry points
Use the calculator to verify arithmetic after you set up the formula yourself.
Change one input at a time to see which variable is driving the result.
Review the formula notes before using the answer in a lab or design check.
Variables to track
Rotational effect of the applied force about the pivot. Unit: N*m.
Distance from pivot to point of force application. Unit: m.
Applied force magnitude. Unit: N.
Angle between the lever arm and the force direction. Unit: deg.
Formula method and unit assumptions
Formula and example
Worked example
18 N force acts on a 0.45 m lever arm at 90 degrees
- 1Enter F = 18 N, r = 0.45 m, and theta = 90 deg.
- 2Apply tau = r * F * sin(theta).
- 3Result: tau = 8.1 N*m.
Changing the angle away from 90 degrees reduces the rotational effect even if force and lever length stay fixed.
Assumptions
Common mistakes
Related formula checks
Equation context and next checks
Formula and variable setup for Torque Calculator
Calculate torque from force, lever arm, and angle. The page is designed to help you move from the known values to the correct formula without rebuilding the derivation every time.
For torque calculator, the safest workflow is to confirm the unit system first, then map each symbol to the physical quantity in your problem statement before solving.
- tau: Torque (N*m) - Rotational effect of the applied force about the pivot.
- r: Lever arm (m) - Distance from pivot to point of force application.
- F: Force (N) - Applied force magnitude.
- theta: Angle (deg) - Angle between the lever arm and the force direction.
How to read the result
The answer shows how strongly the force tends to rotate the system about the chosen pivot.
This tool is especially useful for lever problems, wrench force checks, and rotational equilibrium setup. The output becomes more trustworthy when you compare nearby cases instead of relying on one single run.
- Torque in N*m
- Angle-aware output
- Fast rotation check
Assumptions and limits
The calculator applies the standard textbook relation for this topic, which makes it a strong first-pass answer but not always a full real-world model.
Before you use the result in a lab, design review, or report, check whether the simplified assumptions still match the physical system you care about.
- The result is a magnitude around one pivot point.
- Only the perpendicular component of force contributes to torque.
- Sign conventions for clockwise or counterclockwise torque still need to be assigned separately.
Quick glossary
Rotational effect of the applied force about the pivot.
Distance from pivot to point of force application.
Applied force magnitude.
A simplified physics model that omits secondary effects so the first-order relationship is easier to inspect.
Formula checks before using the result
Formula questions
Checks before using the result
When should I use the torque calculator?
Use torque calculator for lever problems, wrench force checks, and rotational equilibrium setup, especially when the governing formula is already known and the main need is a fast, transparent calculation.
What is the main thing the torque calculator tells me?
The answer shows how strongly the force tends to rotate the system about the chosen pivot.
What can make the torque calculator answer inaccurate?
The answer is exact for the formula and assumptions on the page, but it can drift when the real system violates those assumptions. Common limits include The result is a magnitude around one pivot point. Only the perpendicular component of force contributes to torque. Sign conventions for clockwise or counterclockwise torque still need to be assigned separately.
Formula references and related examples
Formula Basis