Industrial Maintenance Technician Practice Test

The term for the number of teeth in one spur gear divided by the number of teeth in the other is referred to as the gear ratio. This ratio is important because it defines the relationship between the input and output speeds and torques of the gears.

For instance, if one gear has more teeth than its meshing counterpart, it will turn more slowly but will also apply more torque. The gear ratio directly affects the mechanical advantage and output characteristics of the system. Understanding this ratio is crucial for tasks such as designing gear trains, selecting appropriate gears for applications, and calculating potential outputs based on input parameters.

Other terms listed, like torque ratio, speed ratio, and diameter ratio, refer to different concepts in mechanics and gear interactions. The torque ratio deals with the comparison of torques, the speed ratio compares the rotational speeds, and the diameter ratio looks at the diameters of the gears rather than their tooth count. Each of these ratios serves specific purposes in mechanical engineering and design but does not capture the relationship defined by the division of tooth counts.