Quote:
Originally Posted by Rock-It Man
Actually, horsepower is not work done over time, it is the rate at which work is done. You will always accelerate most by staying somewhere near peak torque. Horsepower, on the other hand, will limit your top speed on a track of unlimited length, where you are not accelerating but overcoming drag.
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Power is literally work divided by time in physics. For example, 1 Watt = 1 joule/1 sec. Joule is work and is defined as the force over a certain distance. Divide that by time and you get power (Watt). Watt converts directly to hp with a simple multiplier. Rate implies a given time frame, often 1 second. So with more power means more work done in the same amount of time, like I already said.
And I also already said FOR A GIVEN GEAR you will accelerate fastest at torque peak. However, when there’s a lower gear available that multiplies the torque more than the torque has dropped at peak power it will accelerate faster, so for a car with gears, it will be fastest shifting at or beyond peak hp.
How do you think low torque/high revving cars accelerate quickly? Low gears that allows them to get into the power band.