Posting here hoping for a physics-based reply. Not 1 with so many physics equations. I've just disliked opinions that've probably contradicted reality.
I viewed a vid re power versus torque in vehicles. My understanding is that power is torque multiplied by angular velocity. Given an amount of power, a high-torque vehicle doesn't have a very high top velocity. A high-velocity vehicle won't tow a very massive load.
I related it to my little knowledge re stick shift. Gear 1 is used to move a stopped vehicle or for low speeds. Does gear 1 mean max torque and lowest angular velocity? I think you need a high torque to overcome static friction. Does gear 2 mean a dip in torque and a rise in angular velocity? Does the max gear mean lowest torque and max angular velocity? When I was young, a driver said one can carefully switch from gear 1 ➡️ 2 then 2 ➡️ 3 then 3 ➡️ 4 (and so on) on a wide road with very few surrounding vehicles. He said it'd up the velocity and a high gear generally meant more fuel-efficient.
Please correct me if any of the above is wrong.
I googled. Here's what I read –
"Revolutions per minute" is how many revolutions the engine itself is making per minute. The gear ratios then translate revolutions of the engine into revolutions of your tires (more or less). Lower gear means lower tire revolutions per engine revolution, but also the tires are easier to turn.
So when the car is going slower, meaning it requires more force to accelerate, you want lower gears. As the car speeds up, you need less force to go faster or maintain that speed, so you switch to a higher gear, sacrificing power for more efficient use of your engine.
I didn't ask an llm to avoid hallucinations.
You asked for a physics based reply, but then got into a very practical example with the gear switching.
The relation of torque to angular velocity is correct if power is equal. In practice, the moment that you switch gears, velocity stays the same, while you adjust torque and power.
Motors are built to operate in a certain range of RPM, that's why you can't start in 4th gear (but you can start in 2nd gear and I was told you should on extremely slippery surfaces like black ice). Static friction has nothing to do with this.
The fuel efficiency in a higher gear is largely a myth. RPM is not proportional to fuel consumption. In fact, it is much more common that people use too high a gear than is optimal for the engine. Higher gears need more power per "explosion" in the piston (sorry, not a native speaker), so that's bad for the engine, don't do that.
I've not expected a reply with so many physics equations. I've just disliked opinions that've probably contradicted reality. Your reply is exactly what I hoped for. Many thanks.
By "motors", were you referring to internal combustion engines? Sorry, I have little vehicle knowledge.
From your explanations re revolutions per minute and fuel consumption, I think gear 1 doesn't mean max torque and lowest power, and max gear doesn't mean lowest torque and max power, right?