Centrifugal Force Calculator

How to Calculate Centrifugal Force

Centrifugal force is a fictitious force that appears to act outward on objects moving in a circular path. Understanding how to calculate this force is crucial in various applications, from engineering to physics.

What is the Formula for Centrifugal Force?

The formula for centrifugal force is:

\[ F = m\omega^2r \]

Where:

• \(F\) is the centrifugal force (in Newtons, N)
• \(m\) is the mass of the object (in kilograms, kg)
• \(\omega\) is the angular velocity (in radians per second, rad/s)
• \(r\) is the radius of the circular path (in meters, m)

What are the calculation steps?

1. Identify the mass of the object (\(m\)).
2. Determine the angular velocity (\(\omega\)) of the object's circular motion.
3. Measure the radius (\(r\)) of the circular path.
4. Apply the formula: \(F = m\omega^2r\).

Example of Centrifugal Force Calculation

Let's calculate the centrifugal force on a 0.5 kg object rotating in a circle with a radius of 2 meters at an angular velocity of 3 rad/s:

Given:

• Mass (\(m\)) = 0.5 kg
• Angular velocity (\(\omega\)) = 3 rad/s
• Radius (\(r\)) = 2 m

Using the centrifugal force formula:

\[ F = m\omega^2r \]

\[ F = 0.5 \times (3)^2 \times 2 \]

\[ F = 0.5 \times 9 \times 2 \]

\[ F = 9 \text{ N} \]

Therefore, the centrifugal force acting on the object is 9 Newtons.

Diagram of Centrifugal Force

The following diagram illustrates the concept of centrifugal force:

This diagram shows an object (blue circle) rotating in a circular path. The black dashed line represents the radius (r), the green arc represents the angular velocity (ω), and the red arrow shows the direction of the centrifugal force (F) acting on the object.