What term describes the turning effect produced by an eccentric force applied to a body?

The term that describes the turning effect produced by an eccentric force applied to a body is torque. Torque is defined as the rotational equivalent of linear force and is a measure of the force that can cause an object to rotate about an axis. It is calculated by multiplying the force applied by the distance from the point of rotation, known as the moment arm.

When a force is applied at a distance from the pivot point (or axis of rotation), it generates a twisting or turning effect. This characteristic of torque is critical in various physical activities and mechanical applications, as it influences how well an object can rotate or how efficiently it can be moved.

In contrast, friction refers to the resistance force that occurs when two surfaces interact. Momentum is a measure of the motion of an object, calculated as mass times velocity, and it does not consider the application of force in a rotational context. Impulse, on the other hand, is the change in momentum resulting from a force applied over time. While each of these concepts is fundamental in physics, none of them captures the rotational aspect and effectiveness of force in the same way that torque does.