Certified Maintenance and Reliability Technician (CMRT) Practice Test

What is the formula for torque applied by a torque wrench?

1. Torque applied = force applied / wrench length

2. Torque applied = wrench length + force applied

3. Torque applied = wrench length * force applied

4. Torque applied = force applied - wrench length

The correct answer is: Torque applied = wrench length * force applied

The formula for calculating torque applied by a torque wrench is derived from the relationship between the force applied and the length of the wrench. The correct formulation states that torque is the product of the distance from the pivot point (wrench length) and the force applied perpendicular to that distance. When using a torque wrench, one applies a certain force at the end of the wrench, and the torque is calculated by multiplying that force by the length of the wrench. This means that as the length of the wrench increases or the force applied increases, the torque value likewise increases. The multiplication captures how effectively that force can cause rotational motion around the pivot point. In the other options, incorrect formulations either misplace the operations, combine terms inappropriately, or use addition or subtraction instead of multiplication, which does not represent the physical relationship of torque in mechanical systems.