Question

What is a centripetal and centrifugal forces with examples?

Answer 1

Centripetal force:

1. The force exerted on a curvilinear object that is conducted towards the axis of rotation or the center point of curvature is called centripetal force.
2. As such an item moves, the centripetal force pulls or pushes towards the center of a circle, generating angular or circular motion.

Mathematically, it can be represented as:

$\mathrm{F}=\frac{{\mathrm{mv}}^2}{\mathrm{r}}$

Here,

F is the Centripetal force.

m is the mass of the object.

v is the speed or velocity of the object.

r is the radius.

Examples of centripetal force:

1. The force of strain on the rope pushes the item towards the center while spinning a ball on a string or twirling a lasso.
2. Whenever rotating an automobile, the frictional force between the surface and the axles provides the centripetal force.

Centrifugal force:

1. Centrifugal force is a fictitious force accompanying circular motion that occurs along the radius and therefore is directed away from the circle's center.
2. Whenever measured in an inertial frame, the force doesn't really exist. This only comes into the equation when we switch from a ground/inertial to either a spinning reference frame.

Mathematically, it can be represented as:

$\mathrm{F}=\frac{{\mathrm{mv}}^2}{\mathrm{r}}$

Here,

F is the centrifugal force.

m is the mass of the object.

v is the speed or velocity of the object.

r is the radius.

Examples of centrifugal force:

1. The weight or heaviness of an item at the poles and the equator.
2. A bicycle turning.