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S2.10 The centripetal force

[A] About the force

Examples

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Examples

mass whirled on string

centripetal force: tension

Graphic - No title - centripetala

car on bend in road

centripetal force: friction

Graphic - No title - centripetalb

planet in circular orbit

centripetal force: gravity

Graphic - No title - centripetalc
 

Tip!

Tip!

Students often go wrong here. You need to be very clear that a centripetal force is, in fact, always ‘provided’ by some specifc (‘real’) force (tension, friction, gravity, electrostatic...). Calling it ‘centripetal’ is just saying that, in the context, the force serves to provide the centripetal acceleration. The trap for the unwary is thinking that (eg in our last example) the body experiences a ‘gravitational force’ and some (other) centripetal force.
 

[B] Example problem:

See S2.11

TCentripetal Force of 2 Orbiting Masses
MFluid Rotating in a Cylinder

Learning Resources

Textbook: HRW Chapter 6.5
Course Questions:
Self-Test Questions: