The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
The correct answer is b. Technician B.
Here is an explanation of why Technician B is correct and Technician A is incorrect.
Technician A’s statement is incorrect. Torque is not the distance the piston travels. The distance a piston travels from its highest point in the cylinder (top dead center) to its lowest point (bottom dead center) is called the “stroke.” The stroke is a linear measurement, usually given in inches or millimeters, and it is a key factor in calculating an engine’s displacement. Torque, on the other hand, is a measure of rotational force. It is the twisting force that an engine produces at its crankshaft. Imagine using a wrench to turn a bolt; torque is the turning force you apply. In an engine, the downward force of the piston on the connecting rod creates a rotational force on the crankshaft, and this twisting effort is what we measure as torque.
Technician B’s statement is correct. Torque is calculated by multiplying the force applied by the distance from the pivot point (the lever arm). In the United States customary system, force is measured in pounds and distance is measured in feet. Therefore, a common and correct unit of measure for torque is the foot-pound (ft-lb or ft⋅lb). For instance, an engine that produces 400 ft-lbs of torque is capable of producing a rotational force equivalent to applying a 400-pound force at the end of a one-foot lever. While the metric system uses Newton-meters (N⋅m) as the standard unit for torque, foot-pounds remains the customary unit in the United States for automotive applications.
In conclusion, Technician A confused torque with the piston stroke, which is a fundamental error. Technician B accurately identified a standard unit of measurement used for torque.
