How can you increase the torque of a rotating object?

Increasing the torque of a rotating object can be achieved by either increasing the radius at which the force is applied or by increasing the amount of force applied. Torque is defined as the product of the force and the distance from the pivot point at which that force is applied (which is the radius).

When the radius increases, the same amount of force applies greater torque because the force acts over a longer lever arm. This principle is evident in tools like wrenches, where a longer handle allows the same amount of effort to produce a greater torque. Similarly, increasing the force applied directly increases the torque since torque is directly proportional to the force.

In contrast, decreasing the radius would reduce the torque, while increasing the speed of rotation affects angular velocity rather than torque, and reducing friction can help in the efficiency of the system but does not directly increase torque. Therefore, the correct approach to increase torque involves manipulating either the application point of the force or the magnitude of the force itself.