Why is the centripetal force necessary for circular motion?

The centripetal force can be thought of as the force that causes circular motion.

When an object moves in a circle a force must always act on it, even when it moves at a constant speed. This is because velocity is a vector (and therefore has both a magnitude and a direction) and the direction the object is moving in is constantly changing.

This constant direction change is an acceleration, and we know from Newton's Second Law that any acceleration must have an force associated with it.

Similarly, the centripetal force must point towards the centre of the circle, and therefore perpendicular to the tangential velocity, to maintain the motion in the circle. If it did not exist the object would 'shoot off' in a direction tangential to the circle.

JB
Answered by James B. Physics tutor

23834 Views

See similar Physics A Level tutors

Related Physics A Level answers

All answers ▸

If you have 1.33g of oxygen (Mr = 32) in a container of volume 1000cm^3 at atmospheric pressure (101.3*10^3 Pa), what is the temperature of the gas in Celsius? R=8.314


How does a potential divider work?


how do you calculate the charge of a neuclues compared to an ion?


Describe and explain the vertical motion of a parachutist which jumps out of an aeroplane at time t=0 and then releases the parachute shortly after reaching terminal velocity at time t=T. (Assume air resistance is not negligible).


We're here to help

contact us iconContact ustelephone icon+44 (0) 203 773 6020
Facebook logoInstagram logoLinkedIn logo

MyTutor is part of the IXL family of brands:

© 2025 by IXL Learning