Centrifugal force

Centrifugal force is a <a href="/facts/Fictitious_force/nJp96HPc">fictitious force</a> in <a href="/facts/Newtonian_mechanics/XKzGTXK1">Newtonian mechanics</a> (also called an "inertial" or "pseudo" force) that appears to act on all objects when viewed in a <a href="/facts/Rotating_frame_of_reference/X4ngwkz5">rotating frame of reference</a>. It appears to be directed radially away from the <a href="/facts/Rotation_around_a_fixed_axis/PGcg3IY5">axis of rotation</a> of the frame. The magnitude of the centrifugal force F on an object of <a href="/facts/Mass/HHdc8XmF">mass</a> m at the distance r from the axis of a rotating frame of reference with <a href="/facts/Angular_velocity/2n8JljAT">angular velocity</a> ω is: 
 
 
 
 F
 =
 m
 
 ω
 
 2
 
 
 r
 
 
 {\displaystyle F=m\omega ^{2}r}

This fictitious force is often applied to rotating devices, such as <a href="/facts/Centrifuge/EVGu5ndv">centrifuges</a>, <a href="/facts/Centrifugal_pump/lLTGaKYS">centrifugal pumps</a>, <a href="/facts/Centrifugal_governor/c4DE9hF0">centrifugal governors</a>, and <a href="/facts/Centrifugal_clutch/yffjaKse">centrifugal clutches</a>, and in <a href="/facts/Centrifugal_railway/J7M8cwCE">centrifugal railways</a>, <a href="/facts/Planetary_orbit/nD2TPySG">planetary orbits</a> and <a href="/facts/Banked_curve/vQ6S9XlD">banked curves</a>, when they are analyzed in a <a href="/facts/Inertial_reference_frame/1U6TrdG3">non–inertial reference frame</a> such as a rotating coordinate system.
The term has sometimes also been used for the <a href="/facts/Reactive_centrifugal_force/MvcXuMtr">reactive centrifugal force</a>, a real frame-independent Newtonian force that exists as a reaction to a <a href="/facts/Centripetal_force/VWBADgMM">centripetal force</a> in some scenarios.

Centrifugal force open-in-new

Centrifugal force