Originally posted by erad
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Originally posted by erad
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Originally posted by erad
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Look at the mathematics of it.
Strictly speaking, when we multiply a force in Newtons by a distance in metres, we end up with a number, with the units of Newton-metres. But sometimes we call the number "Joules", and other times we leave it as "Newton-metres".
Regardless of whether we call the number "Joules" or "Newton-metres", when we divide that number by seconds we have Watts. We don't distinguish if the Watts came from Joules or from Newton-metres.
We talk about lots of different forms of energy: kinetic energy, heat energy, potential energy - we have gravitational potential energy, elastic potential energy, electrical potential energy, chemical potential energy. Why isn't torque another form of energy, perhaps a potential energy?
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