Centripetal Force Calculator
Enter the mass, the radius of the path and a speed to find centripetal force and acceleration. Use linear speed v or angular velocity omega.
How to use the centripetal force calculator
- Enter the mass and the radius of the circular path.
- Choose linear speed or angular velocity and type the value.
- Read the centripetal acceleration and force.
Examples
From linear speed
m = 2 kg, v = 5 m/s, r = 0.5 m
a = 50 m/s^2, F = 100 N
From angular velocity
m = 2 kg, omega = 10 rad/s, r = 0.5 m
a = 50 m/s^2, F = 100 N
Frequently asked questions
What is the centripetal force formula?
Centripetal force is F = m x v^2 / r, where m is mass, v is linear speed and r is the radius. It always points toward the centre of the circle.
How does angular velocity change the formula?
With angular velocity omega the acceleration is omega^2 x r, so the force is F = m x omega^2 x r. Both forms give the same result for the same motion.
What is centripetal acceleration?
Centripetal acceleration is the inward acceleration that keeps an object on a circular path. It equals v^2 / r or omega^2 x r in m/s^2.
Is centripetal force a separate kind of force?
No. It is the net inward force, supplied by tension, gravity, friction or a normal force depending on the situation, not a new force on its own.
What units does the calculator use?
Mass in kilograms, radius in metres, linear speed in m/s and angular velocity in rad/s. Force is in newtons and acceleration in m/s^2.
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