Centripetal Force Calculator

Centripetal force is the inward force required to keep an object moving in a circular path, calculated as F = mv²/r. It always points toward the center of the circle. Without it, objects would move in straight lines (Newton's 1st law). The faster the speed or tighter the turn, the more force needed.

Different situations provide different forces: friction (car tires on road), tension (string spinning a ball), gravity (planets orbiting sun), normal force (roller coaster loops), or a combination. The type of force doesn't matter - what matters is it points toward the center.

Centripetal force is real - it pulls objects toward the center. Centrifugal force is a 'fictitious' force - it's the sensation of being pushed outward in a rotating reference frame. You feel thrown outward in a turning car because your body wants to go straight (inertia), not because of an outward force.

The squared velocity shows that doubling speed quadruples the needed force. At twice the speed around the same curve, you need 4× the force. This is why high-speed turns are so dangerous - small speed increases need much more force to maintain the turn.

The object can't maintain the circular path and moves outward. Cars skid off curves, satellites fall from orbit, and objects on spinning platforms fly off. This is why roads have speed limits on curves - exceeding them means friction can't provide enough centripetal force.

Gravity provides exactly the right centripetal force at orbital velocity. The satellite is constantly 'falling' toward Earth but moving forward fast enough that it keeps missing. F_gravity = mv²/r. Different orbital heights require different speeds to balance.