Centripetal Force Calculator
centripetal force calculator. Get instant, accurate results. Enter values for instant results with step-by-step formulas.
Reviewed for accuracy by Manoj Kumar, Mathematics Educator
Centripetal Force Calculator
Calculator
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Formula: F = mv²/r
Worked example — 8000 N
Formula
F = mv²/r
Force required to keep an object moving in a circular path. Points toward the center of the circle.
Worked Examples
Example 1: Car turning
Problem:1000 kg car at 20 m/s, r=50m
Solution:F=1000×400/50=8000 N
Result:8000 N
Frequently Asked Questions
What is centripetal force?
Centripetal force is the net force directed toward the center of a circular path that keeps an object in circular motion. It is not a new type of force — it is provided by existing forces such as tension, gravity, or friction, depending on the situation. Formula: F = mv²/r.
How do you calculate centripetal force?
Use F = mv²/r, where m is mass (kg), v is tangential speed (m/s), and r is the radius of the circular path (m). For a 1000 kg car moving at 20 m/s around a curve of radius 50 m: F = 1000 × 400 / 50 = 8000 N directed toward the center of the curve.
What units does the centripetal force calculator use?
Mass is in kilograms (kg), velocity in meters per second (m/s), and radius in meters (m). The resulting centripetal force is in Newtons (N), centripetal acceleration in m/s², orbital period in seconds (s), and g-force as a dimensionless multiple of 9.81 m/s².
What is a real-world example of centripetal force?
A satellite orbiting Earth at 7800 m/s at a radius of about 6,571 km experiences centripetal acceleration of v²/r ≈ 9.25 m/s². Gravity provides exactly this force, keeping the satellite in a stable orbit without any thrust.
Background & Theory
Where Centripetal Force Shows Up
Centripetal force isn't a separate force of nature — it's the label for whatever existing force (tension, friction, gravity, the normal force from a banked track) happens to be pointed toward the center of a circular path. If that inward force vanishes, the object doesn't fly outward "away" from the center; it simply travels in a straight line tangent to the circle it was following, per Newton's first law. That's why a spinning object released from a string flies off tangentially, not radially.
| Scenario | Approx. centripetal acceleration |
|---|---|
| Car on a highway cloverleaf ramp (r≈30m, 40 km/h) | ~0.35g |
| Formula 1 car in a fast corner | 4-6g |
| Fighter-jet high-g turn | up to 9g (pilot G-suit limit) |
| Centrifuge (lab, ~15cm radius, 3000 RPM) | ~1,500g |
| ISS in low Earth orbit | ~0.9g (balanced by gravity, giving apparent weightlessness) |
Sustained accelerations above about 5g cause most untrained people to gray out as blood is pulled away from the brain — this is why roller coasters cap sustained turns well below that threshold even though brief peaks can go higher.
Reviewed for accuracy by Manoj Kumar, Mathematics Educator · Editorial policy
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