Prepare for the ASVAB Skilled Technical Test. Practice with flashcards and multiple choice questions, each question offers hints and explanations. Get ready for your exam!

Multiple Choice

If torque increases, what happens to rotational speed?

Torque is what makes a rotating object speed up or slow down. The key relation is τ = I α, where I is the moment of inertia and α is angular acceleration. If you boost the torque while the inertia stays the same, you increase α. That means the rotational speed grows faster over time, since ω(t) = ω0 + α t. In other words, more torque leads to a larger rate of change of speed and thus a higher rotational speed after a given interval. The same idea can be seen in energy terms: more torque does more work for a given angle, increasing the rotational kinetic energy and hence the speed.

Torque is what makes a rotating object speed up or slow down. The key relation is τ = I α, where I is the moment of inertia and α is angular acceleration. If you boost the torque while the inertia stays the same, you increase α. That means the rotational speed grows faster over time, since ω(t) = ω0 + α t. In other words, more torque leads to a larger rate of change of speed and thus a higher rotational speed after a given interval. The same idea can be seen in energy terms: more torque does more work for a given angle, increasing the rotational kinetic energy and hence the speed.