Centripetal force - Simple English Wikipedia

# Centripetal force

### From Wikipedia, a free encyclopedia written in simple English for easy reading.

Centripetal force (or acceleration) is a type of force that acts on any body that revolves around a centre. (circular motion). This force contributes to keeping the body in circular motion. This force is always directed towards the centre.

The opposite force (by Isaac Newton's third law of motion) is called centrifugal force. This is the force that acts on the body in a direction away from the centre, which contributes to making the body try to fly away. When you hold a rope with an heavy object attached to it, and rotate it around, the rope becomes taut and keeps the body from flying away. This is caused by centripetal force.

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Category: Physics

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