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by JP1967 on November 20th, 2003

JP1967

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What is centrifugal force?

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  • by DOSJockey382 on December 13th, 2003

    DOSJockey382

    Centrifugal force is a perceived force, not an actual force. It can only be viewed from the vantage point of the spinning object. For example, when turning in a car, the object in the seat next to us flies outward. We call that centrifugal force. Remember the law of intertia: all objects stay at rest or continue in a straight line unless acted on by an outside force. The object that flies outward is trying to continue in a straight line (the direction the car was headed before you started turning). There is just not enough friction on the seat next to you to keep the object constrained to the turn until it hits the door. If you add the vectors of movement on the turning car, it is found that the car is accelerating towards the center of the turn, not away from the cetner. This inward acceleration is called centripetal force. That feeling of being "pushed out" when tunring in a car is nothing more than resistance to the centripetal force constraining the car.

    Comments

    • According to my physics classes, this is right on the money

      JP1967

      by JP1967 on December 14th, 2003

    • Good answer

      Ravi Mayilvaganan

      by Ravi Mayilvaganan on April 1st, 2004

    • That inward acceleration is centripital acceleration. To get a force you multiply the mass by the acceleration.

      Thom64

      by Thom64 on November 14th, 2004

    • Good answer.

      Glenn Blaylock

      by Glenn Blaylock on November 21st, 2008

    • Like
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