![]() ![]() Some of these definitions refer to different ways of measuring power for a specific application. However, there are many different official and unofficial definitions of horsepower. Standard mechanical horsepower is defined as about 33,000 ft-lbf/min, or 745.7 watts. However, in practice most people in the United States use the two words synonymously. Since any or all of these could be valid performance measures, technically it’s more correct to talk about an engine’s power than its horsepower. Less common measures include British thermal units per hour (Btu/hr) and foot-pound force per minute (ft-lbf/min). Watts (W) and kilowatts (kW) are in common use worldwide. Power is measured in many other units besides horsepower, depending on location and application. Just as the wattage of a light bulb tells you how much power it will use, the horsepower specification for an engine tells you how much power the engine can produce. Horsepower measures the same thing that the watt does–the power that a device can create or consume. Finally I’ll give examples of why knowing something about these concepts is important when comparing automobile engines.įirst, let’s note that horsepower is a unit of measurement for power, in the scientific sense of the term, just as the foot is a unit of measurement for length. horsepower, then torque and how it is related to power. Some of this misunderstanding is due to automobile advertising, some to people having just enough knowledge to be dangerous, and some to the continuing death-spiral of science education in America. Measures of engine performance such as torque and horsepower are relatively simple, yet are often badly misunderstood by the public. But what horse breed do they use, and what’s it pulling? Keith, Chicago Charles Dixon, Charleston, South Carolina What is “horsepower”? How is it measured? I’m sure it has something to do with how much a horse could pull, not how many horses could be pulled. Dear Straight Dope: I was looking to buy my first car and had a question come to mind. If any genius in the world can get this straight, you can. ![]() Dear Straight Dope: There is a question on the table that I would like to be able to answer before my friend can so that I can seem like the smart guy: What is the difference between an engine’s horsepower and torque? Apparently, this is a question that neither reference manuals or mechanics can give a satisfactory answer to. ![]()
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