Glossary
torque
Torque is a turning force — a force applied at a distance from the axis it turns — measured in pound-feet, and a torque wrench tightens a fastener to a set value.
Torque is a turning force. Pushing on a wrench handle does nothing at the bolt's axis; what turns the bolt is force times the distance from that axis. That is why a longer wrench gives more torque for the same push, and why torque is measured in pound-feet or newton-meters — a force acting at a lever arm, not a pressure.
Two subtests ask about it, from different ends. Shop Information asks about the tool: a torque wrench is dialed to a value and clicks or slips when it reaches it, so a bolt is tight enough and not crushed, which is what a cylinder head, a wheel or a connecting rod needs. Mechanical Comprehension asks about the idea: a lever, a gear pair and a pulley system all trade distance for force, and torque is the quantity being traded.
Over-tightening is the failure the tool prevents. Past its elastic limit a bolt stretches and never returns, and a gasket under it leaks; too little and the joint frets apart under vibration.
Taught in
Related terms
- mechanical advantage — Mechanical advantage is how much a machine multiplies the force you apply: a lever, gear or pulley trades distance for force, so a small effort raises a large load.
- torque wrench — A torque wrench tightens a fastener to a measured amount of turning force, clicking or reading a scale at the value it was set to, instead of stopping when the bolt feels tight.
Source: Official ASVAB — subtest descriptions (what each subtest asks) and the CAT-ASVAB scored-question counts (accessed 2026-09)