Flashcard 17 - Physics Flashcard Set for the HESI Exam

toward the center of the circle

Centripetal force is the force that keeps an object moving in a circular path by constantly pulling it toward the center of the circle. Without this inward force, the object would move in a straight line due to inertia. A common misconception is that centripetal force pushes outward, but that is actually the sensation of “centrifugal” force, which is not a real force but a result of inertia in a rotating frame.