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Concept
Reactive centrifugal force
Summary
In classical mechanics, a reactive centrifugal force forms part of an action–reaction pair with a centripetal force.
In accordance with Newton's first law of motion, an object moves in a straight line in the absence of a net force acting on the object. A curved path may however ensue when such a force acts on it; this force is often called a centripetal force, as it is directed toward the center of curvature of the path. Then in accordance with Newton's third law of motion, there will also be an equal and opposite force exerted by the object on some other object, such as a constraint that forces the path to be curved, and this reaction force, the subject of this article, is sometimes called a reactive centrifugal force, as it is directed in the opposite direction of the centripetal force.
Unlike the inertial force or fictitious force known as centrifugal force, which always exists in addition to the reactive force in the rotating frame of reference, the reactive force is a real Newtonian force that is observed in any reference frame. The two forces will only have the same magnitude in the special cases where circular motion arises and where the axis of rotation is the origin of the rotating frame of reference. It is the reactive force that is the subject of this article.
The figure at right shows a ball in uniform circular motion held to its path by a string tied to an immovable post. In this system a centripetal force upon the ball provided by the string maintains the circular motion, and the reaction to it, which some refer to as the reactive centrifugal force, acts upon the string and the post.
Newton's first law requires that any body moving along any path other than a straight line be subject to a net non-zero force, and the free body diagram shows the force upon the ball (center panel) exerted by the string to maintain the ball in its circular motion.
Newton's third law of action and reaction states that if the string exerts an inward centripetal force on the ball, the ball will exert an equal but outward reaction upon the string, shown in the free body diagram of the string (lower panel) as the reactive centrifugal force.
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