What occurs to the torque in a constant-horsepower load when speed is increased?

In a constant-horsepower scenario, when the speed of a load is increased, the torque must decrease in order to maintain the same level of horsepower. This relationship is based on the formula for horsepower, which is defined as ( HP = \frac{Torque \times RPM}{5252} ) for horsepower measured in foot-pounds.

When horsepower is held constant and the speed (RPM) increases, the torque (in foot-pounds) must decrease to keep the product of torque and speed constant. This inverse relationship means that if speed goes up, torque must go down proportionally. Therefore, as speed increases in a constant-horsepower load, the torque actually decreases.

Understanding this concept is critical in applications such as electric motors, where maintaining performance across varying speeds is an important consideration in design and operation.