# HP vs Torque vs acceleration\*Physics\*
**URL:** https://forums.speedlife.net/t/hp-vs-torque-vs-acceleration-physics/69905
**Category:** NYSpeed Automotive
**Created:** [June 30, 2009, 11:03pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/hp-vs-torque-vs-acceleration-physics/69905 "2009-06-30T23:03:52Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@sobo](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/sobo)
#### Post date: [June 30, 2009, 11:03pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/hp-vs-torque-vs-acceleration-physics/69905/1 "2009-06-30T23:03:52Z")
Just thinking out loud.
Torque is pretty much what kind of “Power” the engine makes.
Horsepower is torque x RPM / 5250.
So say you have two equal cars, same final drive ratio, same weight, perfect traction, and flat powerband. There is no air resistance.
Car one, Is revving at 4500 RPM. It’s making peak torque at 450ft/lbs. horsepower is 385hp at the wheels.
Car two, is revving at 7000 RPM, it’s making peak horsepower at 385hp at the wheels. Torque is 288 ft/lbs.
Both cars hammer on it. What’s going to accelerate faster at that very moment in time.
a. Neither, both cars have the same horsepower
b. Car one, it has more torque
c. Shut up.
**I guess what I’m really asking is… Whats acceleration(from a roll) more dependent on, horse power or torque.** It’s really hard to ask a question like that because there are about a thousand real life variables.
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### Author:  [@Freek](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Freek)
#### Post date: [June 30, 2009, 11:17pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/hp-vs-torque-vs-acceleration-physics/69905/2 "2009-06-30T23:17:03Z")
The plane does not take off.
> **[For towing, what's more important, horsepower or torque?](https://auto.howstuffworks.com/auto-parts/towing/towing-capacity/information/horsepower-versus-torque1.htm)**
>
> Measuring horsepower and torque reveals different aspects of your vehicle's power available for towing. Learn how to measure torque and horsepower.
You’re not really giving us enough information about the car situation.
To answer the second part added on:
Torque is a function of horsepower. Acceleration is a function of horsepower and torque. Therefore the answer to your question is YES.
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### Author:  [@sobo](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/sobo)
#### Post date: [June 30, 2009, 11:28pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/hp-vs-torque-vs-acceleration-physics/69905/3 "2009-06-30T23:28:21Z")
It’s really hard to word the question… I just want to know what makes a car accelerate from a roll faster if they have pretty much every variable the same. With exception to different torque, yet similar horsepower.
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### Author:  [@Freek](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Freek)
#### Post date: [June 30, 2009, 11:33pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/hp-vs-torque-vs-acceleration-physics/69905/4 "2009-06-30T23:33:53Z")
> [@sobo](#):
>
> It’s really hard to word the question… I just want to know what makes a car accelerate from a roll faster if they have pretty much every variable the same. With exception to different torque, yet similar horsepower.
From a roll, horsepower has more to do with it than torque.
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### Author:  [@ILC](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/ILC)
#### Post date: [July 1, 2009, 1:13am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/hp-vs-torque-vs-acceleration-physics/69905/5 "2009-07-01T01:13:23Z")
technically if you are just talking about one give point in time… torque is the only thing that matters… well and car weight and radius of the time.
F = MA or A = F/M
Torque = r Sine (/) Force
with out drawing a force diagram sin (/) = sine 90 degrees or… 1
so in this case torque = Radius time force
making a big equation A = Torque / Radius \* Mass
Assuming a perfect environment (IE no wind resistance, no slippage, or extra friction from the tire… etc etc)
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### Author:  [@Fry](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Fry)
#### Post date: [July 1, 2009, 3:43am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/hp-vs-torque-vs-acceleration-physics/69905/6 "2009-07-01T03:43:28Z")
Is it a domestic or an import?
j/k. All else equal, a car putting more torque to the wheels is going to accelerate faster.
If you really wanted to “solve” this you would need calculus: a graph of the car’s torque output vs rpm, speed vs rpm, mathematical models of each, then throw it all into some ccalculus.
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### Author:  [@LAFENGAS](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/LAFENGAS)
#### Post date: [July 1, 2009, 5:14am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/hp-vs-torque-vs-acceleration-physics/69905/7 "2009-07-01T05:14:46Z")
torque gets the car going, horsepower keeps it going. Acceleration is a function of them both. Since both cars have the same HP, the car with higher torque assuming all other factors are the same (i.e. weight, wheel size, tires, etc)
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### Author:  [@Firehawk853](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Firehawk853)
#### Post date: [July 1, 2009, 5:24am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/hp-vs-torque-vs-acceleration-physics/69905/8 "2009-07-01T05:24:45Z")
In your example car 1 will win. (assume equal weight)
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### Author:  [@Nikuk](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Nikuk)
#### Post date: [July 1, 2009, 5:35am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/hp-vs-torque-vs-acceleration-physics/69905/9 "2009-07-01T05:35:18Z")
Torque is the only that matters. Horsepower is nothing more then a mathmatical function of torque, as stated. Whereas torque is an actual measure of force.
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### Author:  [@LAFENGAS](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/LAFENGAS)
#### Post date: [July 1, 2009, 5:45am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/hp-vs-torque-vs-acceleration-physics/69905/10 "2009-07-01T05:45:45Z")
Horsepower is how quickly you can apply torque over a given distance.
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### Author:  [@Xander](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Xander)
#### Post date: [July 1, 2009, 5:49am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/hp-vs-torque-vs-acceleration-physics/69905/11 "2009-07-01T05:49:57Z")
The F bod will pull the Boosted Honda on the third honk.
X…
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### Author:  [@Firehawk853](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Firehawk853)
#### Post date: [July 1, 2009, 5:50am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/hp-vs-torque-vs-acceleration-physics/69905/12 "2009-07-01T05:50:52Z")
> [@Xander](#):
>
> The F bod will pull the Boosted Honda on the third honk.
>
> X…
:lol:
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### Author:  [@sobo](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/sobo)
#### Post date: [July 1, 2009, 8:03am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/hp-vs-torque-vs-acceleration-physics/69905/13 "2009-07-01T08:03:52Z")
> [@Xander](#):
>
> The F bod will pull the Boosted Honda on the third honk.
>
> X…
hahaha
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### Author:  [@Dan\_B](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Dan_B)
#### Post date: [July 1, 2009, 8:55am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/hp-vs-torque-vs-acceleration-physics/69905/14 "2009-07-01T08:55:48Z")
> [@sobo"](#):
>
> Just thinking out loud.
There’s your problem.
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### Author:  [@Sansone](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Sansone)
#### Post date: [July 1, 2009, 9:46am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/hp-vs-torque-vs-acceleration-physics/69905/15 "2009-07-01T09:46:23Z")
> [@Dan B](#):
>
> There’s your problem.
Your a problem.
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### Author:  [@Nikuk](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Nikuk)
#### Post date: [July 1, 2009, 9:55am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/hp-vs-torque-vs-acceleration-physics/69905/16 "2009-07-01T09:55:03Z")
> [@LAFENGAS](#):
>
> Horsepower is how quickly you can apply torque over a given distance.
Not that I’m arguing with you (as you’ve got me well outranked)… but it’s always been my understanding that:
Otto ICEs create pressure, which is converted to torque by the crankshaft, and thus sent to the flywheel, tranny, etc etc. We’re skipping thermo / pumping / frictional losses for the moment here.
Basically BMEP & CID -\> Torque.
Torque @ a given engine speed -\> HP.
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### Author:  [@Zer0DazE](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Zer0DazE)
#### Post date: [July 1, 2009, 10:00am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/hp-vs-torque-vs-acceleration-physics/69905/17 "2009-07-01T10:00:48Z")
> [@Freek](#):
>
> Torque is a function of horsepower. Acceleration is a function of horsepower and torque. Therefore the answer to your question is YES.
Other way around. HP is a function of TQ.
> [@Xander](#):
>
> The F bod will pull the Boosted Honda on the third honk.
>
> X…
Perfect visual for said problem
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### Author:  [@Toda\_Party](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Toda_Party)
#### Post date: [July 1, 2009, 1:19pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/hp-vs-torque-vs-acceleration-physics/69905/18 "2009-07-01T13:19:14Z")
H) The Civic.
:lol:
torque will give u the jump, HP will give u the top end, but it all depends on where in the powerband they are making their peak values. Even tho u mentioned the final drives are the same, if one car starts at a different RPM from the other, their gearing is still different, and hence their torque multiplication and tq measured at the wheels will be different.
All this calculus and physics is fine and dandy, but just look at the power graph, factor in the gearing, factor in the weight, and u can figure this out pretty easily (power:weight) You’ll never have two exact same cars with no air resistance and perfect traction, so no matter how accurate u are on PAPER, real world apps are always variable
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### Author:  [@Toda\_Party](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Toda_Party)
#### Post date: [July 1, 2009, 1:19pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/hp-vs-torque-vs-acceleration-physics/69905/19 "2009-07-01T13:19:36Z")
H) The Civic.
:lol:
torque will give u the jump, HP will give u the top end, but it all depends on where in the powerband they are making their peak values.
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### Author:  [@Nikuk](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Nikuk)
#### Post date: [July 2, 2009, 10:03am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/hp-vs-torque-vs-acceleration-physics/69905/20 "2009-07-02T10:03:29Z")
> [@Toda Party](#):
>
> so no matter how accurate u are on PAPER, real world apps are always variable
Which is why slips \> all.