I'm curious to see if there's a Sheldon reader out that who's good at explaining fulcrum points and torque and basic physics to me.

...Why is the Monkey Wrench so damn effective in loosing/tightening nuts?

To back up for context: last night at the ol' Kellett house, our water heater connections all decided to put on a water-and-light extravaganza, a la the Mirage Hotel in Las Vegas. So, like any good husband would, I pulled out the ol' plumbin' tools and got to work.

It's always fun to have an excuse to pull out my Monkey Wrench: I feel like a true "dude" with that baby in my hand. But, as happens every time I use the monkey wrench, I was amazed at how incredibly effective that tool is. It can give a four-year old boy enough torque to build a river-spanning steel bridge.

But what's the Monkey Wrench's secret? What key part of a Monkey
Wrench gives it that torque? Is it the weight? The way you grip it? The teeth on it? It's zest for life?

If you have a simple explanation, let's hear it over at the SHELDON FORUM.