The force acting on a body moving in a circular path along the radius...
Centrifugal Force: The imaginary force which acts on the particle performing a circular motion in the direction away from the centre along the radius of the circular path having the same magnitude as that of centripetal force is called centrifugal force.
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The force acting on a body moving in a circular path along the radius...
Centrifugal force:
The force acting on a body moving in a circular path along the radius away from the center of the path is called the centrifugal force.
Centripetal force:
The centripetal force is the force that keeps an object moving in a circular path. It acts towards the center of the circular path and is responsible for changing the direction of the object's velocity.
Difference between centrifugal and centripetal forces:
The centrifugal force and the centripetal force are two forces that are often confused with each other. However, they are actually different forces with opposite directions.
- The centripetal force acts towards the center of the circular path, keeping the object moving in that path. It is responsible for changing the direction of the object's velocity.
- On the other hand, the centrifugal force is a fictitious force that appears to act on the body moving in a circular path away from the center. It is an outward force that seems to push the object away from the center of the path. However, in reality, it is simply the inertia of the object trying to keep it moving in a straight line.
Explanation:
When an object is moving in a circular path, it experiences a centripetal force that keeps it in that path. The centripetal force is provided by another force such as tension in a string, gravitational force, or friction.
Now, according to Newton's third law of motion, for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. When the object exerts a force towards the center of the circular path, there is an equal and opposite reaction force acting on the object away from the center. This reaction force is called the centrifugal force.
The centrifugal force is not a real force but rather a perceived force due to the inertia of the object. Inertia is the tendency of an object to resist changes in its motion. When the object is moving in a circular path, it wants to continue moving in a straight line due to its inertia. However, the centripetal force acts towards the center of the path, changing the object's direction and keeping it in the circular path. As a result, the object appears to experience an outward force, which is called the centrifugal force.
In conclusion, the force acting on a body moving in a circular path along the radius away from the center of the path is called the centrifugal force.