Welcome to another issue of Physics Tips Daily - the free eZine to provide tips and tricks for students to survive and excel in physics.
Today's topic is the confusion between Centripetal and Centrifugal Force.
Imagine you are driving in a car, and make a hard right hand turn. You can probably visualize your body moving to the left and bumping into the driver side door. There obviously must be some force pushing you outward, a centrifugal force. Surprisingly, there is no such thing happening. You can probably see why this is one of the more confusing concepts in physics.
The truth lies in the description of centripetal force and inertia. Centripetal force is a center seeking force for any object moving in a circle. Inertia is the property of matter that resists changes in its state of motion.
In our car example, imagine you are initially moving in a straight line. Then you make the sharp right hand turn. The reason your car is able to make this turn is due to centripetal force. This force pushes inwards on the car so that it can make the turn in the first place. If this force didn't exist, the car would continue in a straight line.
This is what happens to your body. Although you are sitting in the car, hopefully with a seat belt on, you aren't exactly part of the car. Your body wants to continue going in a straight line at first. However, the car is making its turn to the right, so the left side of the car actually bumps into you. You aren't push to the outside. The car is pushed to the inside and runs into you. This is why people mistakenly think there is an outward pushing centrifugal force when the only force acting is actually an inward centripetal force.
That should do it for today.
Keep it up with your study. "See" you tomorrow.
Meanwhile, Seize the Day!
Wayne Huang, PhD
http://www.RapidLearningCenter.com
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