Centripetal and Centrifugal Force and Its Role in Figure Skating
What is Centripetal Force?
Centripetal comes from the latin words centrum (center) and petere (to seek). This "center-seeking' force exerts a force on objects moving in a circular path towards the center of the circle they are rotating around. The equation for this force is: Fc=mv2/r. Fc is the Centripetal Force; m is the mass of the rotating object; v is the rotating object's velocity; and r stands for radius. In order for an object to move in a circular path while maintaining uniform motion (constant velocity), it is essential that there is a force pushing this object towards the center of the circle. This force is centripetal force.
What is Centrifugal Force?
Centrifugal comes from the latin words centrum (center) and fugere (to flee). However, this "center-fleeing" force is not technically a real force. A person's inertia will keep them going in a straight line unless a force acts upon them. Centrifugal Force is Centripetal Force's pair force.
Just to sum it up.....
Centripetal Force is a force exerted on an object in a circular motion being pulled in towards the center of rotation while Centrifugal Force is a apparent "force" exerted on an object in a circular motion being pulled away from the center of rotation (or the opposite/negative of Centripetal Force).
Centripetal and Centrifugal Force's Role in The Death Spiral
This picture to the left is a death spiral. This pair skating trick is performed with a man as the center of rotation (one toe dug into the ice in a pivot position) and holding on to his hand is a woman, rotating around him with her body just about parallel to the ice.
So, how does this relate to Centripetal and Centrifugal Force? As mentioned before, Centrifugal Force does not actually exist. The man in this case acts like the Centripetal Force. He exerts an inward force towards him while the woman acts like the Centrifugal Force (THEORETICALLY); exerting a force on the man, attempting to pull him away from his placement (center of rotation) towards her. Centrifugal force is imaginary and the force she exerts on the man is due to her inertia (she would just go straight if there wasn't Centripetal force acting on her, because as Sir Isaac Newton said, objects keep going in the same direction and speed unless a force is exerted to stop it)
So, how does this relate to Centripetal and Centrifugal Force? As mentioned before, Centrifugal Force does not actually exist. The man in this case acts like the Centripetal Force. He exerts an inward force towards him while the woman acts like the Centrifugal Force (THEORETICALLY); exerting a force on the man, attempting to pull him away from his placement (center of rotation) towards her. Centrifugal force is imaginary and the force she exerts on the man is due to her inertia (she would just go straight if there wasn't Centripetal force acting on her, because as Sir Isaac Newton said, objects keep going in the same direction and speed unless a force is exerted to stop it)