What is the earth's centripetal force?

Answer 1

The term "centrifical" is a word without a definition; some would say a non-existent word. It might have the same definition as "ncauvjnscc" or "oioushc" or any other made up babble you chose to imagine. However, the term has been used enough in common parlance as to associate its meaning with either "centripetal" or "centrifugal".

The centripetal force is the force applied to a linearly travelling (straight line) object to make it travel in a curve or to make it rotate about some center point. The force is applied to the object make it move toward that center point.

The centrifugal force is referred to as the opposite force to the centripetal force following Newtons Law of equal and opposite reaction. However, this force is a consequence of the inertia of the object (resistance to the circular motion) and acts on the source of the centripetal force, NOT the object experiencing curved motion.

The centrifugal force is equal, but opposite, the centripetal force.

For instance, a weight on a string attached to an object swung about your head experiences a force applied inward (centripetal force) due to your hand (the center point) applying the force. The string also experiences this force all along its length. Your hand experiences a force applied outward (centrifugal force) due to the weights inertia (resistance to change direction at all points in time as it moves in a circle). The string also experiences this force all along the string. The opposing forces on the string keeps the string in tension. Additionally, your feet share a friction force against the surface you stand on equal to the centripetal force to keep you stationary.

So the question remains: which force did you really mean, centripetal or centrifugal?

Answer 2

The Earth's centripetal force is provided by the gravitational pull of the Sun, which keeps the Earth in orbit around it. This force is balanced by the Earth's inertia, resulting in a stable orbit. The centripetal force is necessary to maintain the Earth's circular path around the Sun.

Answer 3

The centrifugal force is a fictitious force, peculiar to circular motion, that is equal but opposite to the centripetal force that keeps a particle on a circular path .

For example, a stone attached to a string and whirling in a horizontal circular path is accelerated toward the centre of its path by the tension in the string, the only force acting on the string. However, in a reference frame at rest with the stone, another force-the centrifugal force-must be introduced for Newton's laws of motion to apply. Centrifugal force is a useful concept in analyzing behaviour in rotating systems.

Answer 4

The centripetal force that keeps the Earth in its solar orbit is

the gravitational attraction between the Earth and the Sun.

Also, the gravitational attraction between the Earth and the Moon provides the centripetal force that keeps the Moon in orbit around Earth.

Answer 5

It is either centripital or centrifugal force you are saying.... Because I don't know any centrifal force. So centripital force is a force that is exerted on a body which is moving in a circular motion, and the force is towards the center. Centrifugal force is the same thing but the direction is opposite: a good example is a car moving around a round a bout, at one point you will feel the car jerking away from the road (away from the center). That is centrifugal force, it is the cummulative effect of the radius of the circle the car is travelling, the velocity of the car, and the mass of the car.

Answer 6

Centripetal and centrifugal forces are forces referred to the center, thus "centri".

Centripetal force is directed toward the center, center seeking. Gravity is a centripetal force, force pulling toward the gravitational center. Electrical force between opposite charges is centripetal. In general attractive forces toward a center are centripetal.

Centrifugal force is directed away from the center center fleeing. Forces between similar charges, (++ or - -) are repelling forces and with a center they are centrifugal forces.

A body orbiting a center can have a centripetal force if the the velocity is in the direction toward the center more then 90 degrees from the outward radius direction; a tangential force if the velocity is 90 degrees or perpendicular to the radius or centrifugal force if the angle is less than 90 degrees from the outward radius direction.

Answer 7

force that draws object to center of a path!!!

think about it and it makes sense you see

And by the way, the correct spelling is "centripetal".

Answer 8

The centrifugal force is the force that drives a mass away from the center of its circular motion.

Answer 9

Centrifrugal force, n.: The force exerted by a rotating Scotsman on coins.

Answer 10

Centripetal force is the real derivative of the potential exergy,

for example; for gravity F= d/dr(-mGM/r) = mGM/r2.