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Newton-metre

physical science Maturity 11-13 Next article →

A newton-metre is a way to measure a turn. This turn is called torque. Scientists use this unit in the International System of Units. You can think of torque like a twisting force.

Imagine you have a long tool. The tool is one metre long. You push on the very end of it. You push with a force of one newton. You must push at a right angle. This makes one newton-metre of torque.

Sometimes, people use this unit for energy. Energy is the power to do work. In this case, the metre is a distance. It is the distance the force travels. However, most people do not do this. Using it for energy can cause confusion.

People usually use a different unit for energy. That unit is called a joule. Torque and energy are very similar. They use the same base units. But we keep the names separate. This helps us avoid mistakes.

There are other ways to measure force too. One kilogram-force-metre equals 9.80665 newton-metres. One pound-foot is about 1.35581795 newton-metres. These numbers help us switch between units.

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