What term describes the distance between the threads of a screw, affecting its mechanical advantage?

The term that describes the distance between the threads of a screw is "pitch." The pitch specifically refers to the spacing between the threads, which directly influences how far the screw will advance with each complete turn. A screw with a finer pitch will require more rotations to cover the same linear distance compared to a screw with a coarser pitch. This characteristic affects the mechanical advantage the screw provides; specifically, a screw with a greater pitch offers a different force advantage compared to one with a smaller pitch.

Understanding pitch is crucial for applications involving screws because it relates to how effectively they can convert rotational motion into linear motion, ultimately impacting the effort required to drive the screw into a material. In contrast, the other options do not pertain specifically to the distance between threads of a screw. Gear ratio deals with the relationship between gears, torque refers to the rotational force, and voltage relates to electrical potential, none of which are relevant to the concept of screw pitch.