Which screwdriver would make it easier to loosen a stubborn screw: a long, thin-handled screwdriver, or a short, thick-handled screwdriver? Explain.

Question

Which screwdriver would make it easier to loosen a stubborn screw: a long, thin-handled screwdriver, or a short, thick-handled screwdriver? Explain.

Answer 1

It will only depend on the thickness of the handle.

Torque is force * distance away from the rotational axis. A longer screwdriver is further from the point of rotation, but the length is still along the rotational axis. The fatter the handle the more distance you will have from the rotational axis. If you think about a socket wrench they are similar to using a very fat screw driver.

Answer 2

To loosen a tight screw, you need to exert more torque. Torque is defined as the tangential force multiplied by the perpendicular distance from the axis of rotation. Since the short thick handle screwdriver has a greater distance from the axis of rotation than the thin handled screwdriver, it will exert greater torque for the same amount of tangential force.