Gearing can be used to increase motor torque at the expense of what?

• A. Motor power
• B. Output torque
• C. Output speed
• D. Battery life

Answer: (C)

Gearing trades speed for torque. When you use gears to multiply torque, the output shaft turns more slowly because the gear train reduces rotational speed to gain more turning force. In an ideal system, power in roughly equals power out (P = T × ω), so increasing output torque through gearing must come with a lower output speed. That’s why the expense is the output speed. The motor power stays essentially the same (aside from efficiency losses), and while gear losses or higher current draw can affect battery life, the fundamental trade-off is slower output speed.