My limited understanding is that Centrafugal force is the name for the commonly felt effect of Centrapetal force, that it is a common misconception and that Centrapetal Force is actually at work trying to pull you to the centre and not spin you outwards (the affect that people call centrafugal force)
2006-11-17 01:21:22 · 16 answers · asked by litulbear 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
According to Newton's first law of motion, a moving body travels along a straight path with constant speed (i.e., has constant velocity) unless it is acted on by an outside force.
For circular motion to occur there must be a constant force acting on a body, pushing it toward the centre of the circular path. This force is the centripetal (“centre-seeking”) force. The centrifugal (centre-fleeing) force will, therefore, be the opposing force which pushes away from the centre
The two forces are equal in magnitude and opposite in direction.
2006-11-17 10:51:38 · answer #1 · answered by Sweet Wicked Awesome 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The simple answer is:
Centrifugal force is a force away from the center.
Centripetal force is a force toward the center.
The not so simple answer is that Centrifugal is not a real force. An object will move in a straight line unless acted on by a force. The force that you need to continuously apply to keep an object moving in a circle around a point is the centripetal force toward that point. Usually that force is supplied by some mechanical restraint, like a string in the case of the rock being swung around on the end of a string. You must constantly pull on the string to make the rock keep turning around and not flying away in a straight line. It is just like the force you need to exert on a string to pull a rock along in a straight line. The confusion is that the force you are exerting, pulling on the string, is often mistaken as a resistance against something called centrifugal force. This is so common that physics does consider centrifugal force, but as a virtual force. In this way it is very much like the Coriolis force, which is an even more confusing subject!
2006-11-17 01:49:07 · answer #2 · answered by campbelp2002 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm sorry, I've read all the answers, and I just can't get my head around the idea that centrifugal force is not a real force, What am I missing? If a thing can be seen and felt and demonstrated it must be real. Is the G-force we experience on a fairground ride, then not real. And I suppose the Coriolis effect(when you try to make an inward movement towards the centre of a spinning roundabout) is not a real force either.
signed
Thicko.
2006-11-20 04:21:37 · answer #3 · answered by bo nidle 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Imagine you are made to rotate about a centre, say, on a spinning fairground ride.
The force that keeps you moving in a circle is the centripetal force - the force between your bottom and the seat (or side of the compartment you're sitting in). This force is directed towards to centre.
Imagine the ride is spinning very fast and you were holding an ice cream cone. The ice cream flying off; the force on your cheeks; your arms and legs swaying towards one side - that's the cause of the centrifugal force. This force is directed away from the centre.
2006-11-17 01:43:00 · answer #4 · answered by wgh 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hi. Centrifugal force is the resistance you feel in a string while holding a spinning object over your head, say. The force is not real, it is just the effect of keeping the object from flying off. It is similar to the force you would apply to a rope attached to a bucket submerged in a river. The REAL force is in the river but you feel a pull on the rope. Centripetal force is the tendency of the object to fly away. It disapperas when you let go of the string. Any help?
2006-11-17 01:28:51 · answer #5 · answered by Cirric 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Centripetal force is the force that you need to keep something in circular motion. For example, spinning something around on the end of a bit of string... the string would be supplying the centripetal force that is holding the object in this circular motion.
Centrifugal force is what you feel when you are circular motion; the "outward force". This force actually doesn't really exists and what you are feeling is yourself trying to continue moving in a straight line "tangential" to your circular motion if you like.
2006-11-17 01:32:45 · answer #6 · answered by Article 82 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Centripetal force is not a new kind of a force. It is just the net inward force directed towards the centre for a particle moving in Uniform Circular Motion ( speed const. , radius const.)
It can be any force directed towards the centre.
It = m*v^2 / r
Centrifugal force is a pseudo force. This arises because we try to use Newton's Laws in a non inertial frame. This force is always directed away from the centre.
In simple words, centrifugal force arises if you take a particle in an accelerating frame of reference.
2006-11-17 01:45:10 · answer #7 · answered by nayanmange 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Centripetal force is any center directed force. If you're in a car taking a turn, for example, the friction between the road and your tires provides the centripetal force that keeps your car from flying off the road.
In the case of a planet, gravity provides a centripetal force, and keeps the planet from sailing off into space.
Centrifugal force is a "pseudo" force that appears in a rotating reference frame. Let's say you're back in the car taking a corner, your body will seem to move towards the outer edge of the car and push on the wall. From your frame of reference inside the car, it seems as if there's a real force pushing you away from the turn. In reality, it's just your inertia trying to keep moving in a straight line.
2006-11-17 01:40:42 · answer #8 · answered by disgracedfish 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Newton's Laws of Motion state when a body is in motion it will remain so until a force acting upon it forces it to do otherwise; that every action (force) has an equal and opposite reaction. Centrifugal force is momentum which will keep you moving on the same course; Centripetal force is the one that makes you change direction or speed- So; in a car you go round a corner - and centrifugal force is you trying to keep going straight on - centripetal force is the car door forcing you to divert from your present course. (Equal and opposite - action and re-action) Hope this helps
2006-11-17 01:46:58 · answer #9 · answered by PAUL H 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
centrifugal force is the force that pushes a body outwards.
centrepetal force is one that pushes a body inwards.
these two forces are experienced in only circulating bodies.
the earth is a circulating celestial planet and is rotating around the sun.
it has its own gravitational force and because of this the centripetal force is also exerted onm us.
you might argue that if we are experiencing the centrepetal force then how do we not fall inwards.
the ans is quite simple because the centrifuigal force of rotation of the earth cancels the effect of the centripetal force and therefore we stand straight.
2006-11-17 01:46:02 · answer #10 · answered by oee22 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋