The Horsepower and Torque Quiz

AUTO

27 PLAYS

By: Staff

5 Min Quiz

Image: refer to hsw

About This Quiz

Of the hundreds of common car models on the roadways at any given time, it’s likely that few share exactly the same horsepower and torque measurements because there’s just so much variability in how each car is made. The purpose of the particular vehicle plays a big role in how many horses and how much torque it sports. For example, your average sedan needs to be able to go highway speeds and under but isn’t likely to be pressed to the limit on a racetrack anytime soon. Muscle cars, like the Chevrolet Camaro, are fine for road driving and can go really fast when little maneuvering is involved because they lack the braking and handling bells and whistles, making them less than ideal for speeds that involve curves.

Indeed, for all the pandering automakers do to buyers in commercials, the everyday driver doesn’t need as much horsepower or torque as someone with the last name Earnhardt or Waltrip. Despite this, flip through the pages of almost any automotive publication and you will see horsepower and torque listed for each vehicle. But how much do you know about these measurements? Channel your inner motorhead, and see if you can ace this quiz.

What is horsepower?

Horsepower is defined as work done over time. One horsepower is measured specifically as 33,000 foot-pounds of work per minute.

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Who derived the measurement of horsepower?

Scottish engineer James Watt derived the measurement of horsepower in the late 1700s after experimenting with powerful draft horses.

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True or false: The measurement of 1 horsepower is about 25 percent more than the rate of work an average horse can sustain.

The measurement of 1 horsepower is actually about 50 percent more than the rate of work an average horse can sustain during a working day.

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What is torque?

Torque is defined as a twisting force that causes or tends to cause rotation.

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Which scientist first discussed the concept of torque?

The concept of torque originated with Archimedes and his work with levers.

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In the U.S., torque is measured in pound-feet, but what is the metric or SI unit of measure for torque?

While torque is measured in pound-feet in the U.S., Newton meters is the metric or SI unit of measurement for torque.

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What was the horsepower of the first gasoline automobile, the Benz Patent Motorcar?

The one-cylinder engine of the first gasoline automobile, the Benz Patent Motorcar, generated 0.75 horsepower. The Benz automobile was patented by Carl Benz in 1886.

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Which automobile enthusiast said, "Horsepower sells cars; torque wins races"?

Celebrity car collector Jay Leno once said this line.

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How much horsepower does the 2016 Mercedes-AMG GT S produce?

The 2016 Mercedes-AMG GT S produces 503 horsepower.

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Which force is responsible for initiating the movement of a stationary vehicle?

Torque is the force that initiates the movement of a stationary vehicle.

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What is the torque range of an average turbocharged engine of a semitrailer?

Most turbocharged semitrailer engines produce 1,200-2,050 pound-feet of torque.

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Which measurement is most important to keep a moving vehicle at highway speed?

A vehicle at highway speed requires less torque and more horsepower to maintain the relatively high rate of speed.

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The Peel P50, the smallest car ever made, had how much horsepower?

The Peel P50, originally built in the 1960s, produces only 4.2 horsepower.

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How much torque does the new Peel P50 replica produce?

The new replica of the Peel P50 produces just 3.09 pound-feet of torque.

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True or false: Horsepower is calculated by using torque.

The horsepower of an engine is calculated by using torque. To find horsepower, torque (pound-feet) is multiplied by speed (revolutions per minute) and divided by the constant 5,252.

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What device is used to measure the horsepower of an automobile?

A dynamometer is used to measure the horsepower of an automobile. The drive wheels of a vehicle are placed on spinning rollers that apply a load to the drivetrain while the torque is measured at various engine rpm speeds. The data is converted to horsepower.

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What is the electrical equivalent of 1 horsepower?

The electrical equivalent of 1 horsepower is 746 watts.

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How much torque does the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse produce?

The Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse produces 1,106 pound-feet of torque. The Veyron has one of the highest torque ratings of all production cars.

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What does brake horsepower measure?

Brake horsepower measures the engine output without the drivetrain. Brake refers to a horsepower measuring device called the Prony brake that was Gaspard de Prony invented in the early 1900s.

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Which part of a vehicle is used for measuring brake horsepower?

The flywheel is a heavy disc attached to the engine's crankshaft. It is designed to smooth gaps in the engine's delivery of power by storing and periodically releasing excess energy.

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On average, how much higher is brake horsepower than the standard measurement of horsepower?

Brake horsepower is about 15 percent higher than the standard horsepower measurement because of power loss from friction throughout the drivetrain.

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It takes more torque or force to move a vehicle at rest than it does to move a vehicle in motion. Which law of physics supports this statement?

Newton's first law of motion is also called the law of inertia.

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At what rpm speed are torque and horsepower exactly the same?

At a speed of 5,252 rpm, torque and horsepower are always the same.

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What is the heat equivalent of 1 horsepower?

The heat equivalent of 1 horsepower is 2,545 British thermal units, or Btu per hour.

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The Landini Rex 110 utility tractor has one of the highest torque ratings of any tractor. How much torque does the Landini produce?

The Landini Rex 110 produces 30,683 pound-feet of torque, one of the highest torque ratings of any tractor.

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What is the horsepower rating of the Landini Rex 110 utility tractor?

The Landini Rex 110 utility tractor has a rating of 102 horsepower.

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Electrical motor horsepower can be derived from which measurement?

Electrical motor horsepower can be derived from the electrical input to the motor in watts.

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Which race car driver and former Indy 500 winner once said, "If you can leave two black stripes from the exit of one corner to the braking zone of the next, you have enough horsepower"?

Donohue raced in the '60s and '70s.

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True or false: In physics, torque is a scalar quantity (a value fully described by a number or magnitude).

In physics, torque is a vector quantity. Vectors are values that are described by both a magnitude and a direction.

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Thrust horsepower of a jet engine can be determined by multiplying the thrust in pounds by aircraft speed and dividing by what number?

Three hundred seventy-five is equal to one horsepower measured in mile-pounds per hour.

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