According to newton’s first law of motion, an object in motion will continue in motion in a straight line unless acted upon by an external force. But, while we turn there is a continuous acceleration, which means there should be some external forces acting on us while we turn. Centrifugal force and centripetal act on a body under circular motion. Both forces might sound similar, but they are totally opposite in their ways of operation. In this article, we discuss 10 differences between centrifugal and centripetal forces.
Difference between centripetal force and centrifugal force
| Differences | Centrifugal Force | Centripetal Force |
| Definition | It is the outward push that we experience in a circular motion | It is the pull towards the center in a circular motion |
| Direction of force | From the center to the object | From the object to the center |
| Tendency | Causes the tendency to move straight without turning | Causes the tendency to turn towards the center |
| Role | The centrifugal force causes us to come out of a turn or out of a circular motion | The centripetal force causes us to enter into circular motion |
| Example | Cars skidding off the surface while taking a turn | Planets revolving around the Sun |
| Origin | The inertia of an object causes the centrifugal force | Centripetal force can be caused due to factors like tension, gravitational pull, electrostatic force, etc |
| Nature | It is a pseudo force that acts in an internal frame | It is a real force and acts in inertial and non-inertial frames |
| Formula | F = mv2/r in a direction opposite to the centripetal force | F = mv2/r in a direction opposite to the centrifugal force |
| Named by | Christiaan Huygens | Sir Isaac Newton |
| Application |  Gravitron is a ride that is present in most amusement parks. The centrifugal force gives the rider joy by creating an in-the-air feel. |  The roller coaster makes sharp turns along with the loops with the help of centripetal force that keeps it from going off the tracks. |
Definition
The centrifugal force can be defined as a force that tries to push you out away from the center of rotation in a circular motion. On the other hand, the centripetal force tries to pull you towards the center of rotation in a circular motion.
The balance between the two forces allows us to make a safe turn. In some cases, the forces may not be balanced like for example in the case of a fast sharp turn. In those cases, we have to balance the two forces. In case of sharp turns, we need more centripetal force to turn fast, hence roads are banked to provide an additional centripetal force. The frictional force and the component of normal force balance out the centrifugal force.
Direction of force
Tendency
The centrifugal force causes us to come out of a turn or out of a circular motion. The tendency of this force is to move straight ahead without turning. Whereas, the centripetal force causes us to enter into circular motion and helps us to turn.
Examples
Examples of centripetal motion
- Bike turning at sharp turns on a banked road
- Children playing on a merry-go-round or a carousel
You can read more in our blog post 10 examples of centripetal force
Examples of centrifugal force
- We are thrown to the sides when a bus turns
- Mud sticking onto a wheel is thrown off when the wheel turns
You can read more in our blog post 10 examples of centrifugal force
Origin
Centrifugal force is caused due to the inertia of an object. It is not real and can be considered as a pseudo force that acts in an inertial frame only. On the other hand centripetal force is a real force that is caused to real forces like tension, gravity, etc. It acts in both inertial and non-inertial frames.
Formula
The centrifugal and centripetal forces have the same amount of force but are opposite in direction.
Application
Application of centripetal force
- Shot-put and hammer throw
- Roller coasters
Application of centrifugal force
- Centrifuge machine
- Washing machine
See also
Banking of roads
Examples of centripetal force
Examples of centrifugal force
Centrifugal force
Differences between centripetal and centrifugal forces
Centripetal force
