Centripetal意思

"Centripetal" is a term derived from mechanics and physics that refers to a force or action that causes or tends to cause a body to move in a circle or curve. The word comes from the Latin "centrum" (center) and "petere" (to seek). In other words, centripetal force is the force that pulls or pushes a body towards the center of a circular path.

In the context of circular motion, the centripetal force is always directed towards the center of the circle and is responsible for changing the direction of the body's velocity vector at every point in its motion, keeping it moving along the curved path. It is important to note that centripetal force is not a type of force in itself, but rather a description of the direction of the force that is required to maintain circular motion.

In physics, the formula for centripetal force is given by:

F_c = mv^2 / r

Where:

This formula shows that the centripetal force required to keep an object in uniform circular motion is proportional to the square of its velocity and inversely proportional to the radius of the circle.