Boneyard Tools

Torque Calculator

Enter the force, the lever arm length and the angle to find torque, T = F x r x sin(theta). The angle defaults to 90 degrees, where sin is 1.

How to use the torque calculator

  1. Pick whether you want to solve for torque, force or lever arm.
  2. Enter the known values and the angle between the force and the arm.
  3. Read off the result in newton-metres or newtons or metres.

Examples

Perpendicular force

F = 50 N, r = 2 m, angle = 90 degrees
T = 100 N x m

Force at 45 degrees

F = 50 N, r = 2 m, angle = 45 degrees
T = 70.71 N x m

Frequently asked questions

What is the torque formula?

Torque is T = F x r x sin(theta), where F is the force, r is the lever arm length and theta is the angle between the force and the arm.

Why does the angle matter?

Only the component of force perpendicular to the arm creates torque. At 90 degrees sin is 1 and torque is greatest; at 0 degrees it is zero.

What units are used?

Force in newtons, lever arm in metres and torque in newton-metres (N x m). The angle is entered in degrees and converted to radians.

What is the default angle?

If you do not enter an angle, the calculator assumes 90 degrees, the common case where the force is perpendicular to the lever arm.

Can I solve for the force or the lever arm?

Yes. Given the torque and the angle, the calculator rearranges the formula to find the force or the lever arm length.

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