Torque is defined as the effect produced when which of the following is applied?

Torque is defined as the effect produced when a force is applied at a distance from a pivot point or axis of rotation. It is essentially a measure of how much a force acting on an object causes that object to rotate. The greater the force or the greater the distance from the pivot point at which the force is applied, the greater the torque generated.

In the context of this question, force is the key parameter that generates torque. For example, when you use a wrench to tighten a bolt, the force you apply at the handle creates torque about the bolt.

While weight and mass are related concepts—weight being the force due to gravity acting on mass—they do not directly define torque without a distance and an angle of application. Friction, on the other hand, is a resistive force that can affect rotational motion but is not what generates torque itself. The concept of torque is fundamentally tied to the application of force, making it the correct choice in this context.