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Posted by: Let'slearntothink on 2009-05-09, 04:02:53
Centripetal force is the force of actual physical interaction between the object moving along circumference of a circle of radius, r, with speed v, and some other object/ field/ cause so that the force equal to the magnitude (mv^2)/ r and directed towards the centre of the circle. This si how we explain th emotion of the object in an inertial frame. Centrifugal force is the force which can be assumed to be acting on the object, in the same condition as described above but in order to describe its motion in the frame of reference attached with the object according to the Newton's laws of motion. If we do not assume that this force is acting then the motion cannot be expressed as derived from Newton's laws of motion. Simply put in the frame of reference of the object moving in a circle, the object is at rest . But it is definitely acted upon by some external force, (mv^2)r of physical interaction. In order to explain the position of rest of the particle in its own frame of reference an equal and opposite force has to be assumed top be on the object. This is known as pseudo force and = (mv^2)/ r acting away from the centre. So their magnitudes are equal; directions are opposite and centripetal force is a force of interaction whereas centrfugal force is an assumed force assumed to act in teh opposite direction. |
