If an object whirling around a center of force experiences centripetal force that pulls it towards the center?

Centrifugal force is a fictional force that only SEEMS to push an object outwards. the only forces that are working on the object are gravity, and the pulling force towards the center.

It is best to avoid using EITHER of these terms to explain circular motion...here is why:

1. "Centripetal force" is a bad choice of words, because centripetal is the name of a direction, ot a type of force.  It is better to think in real forces that are actually methods by which one object uses in attempt to alter the motion of another object...and not this "force" that seems to only care about its target object in circular motion.

Only use "centripetal" as an adjective of acceleration for best understanding.

To replace "centripetal force", extend the phrase to say "the net force needed to cause centripetal acceleration".

For instance...it is not any differnet type of force just because it acts perpendicular to velocity.  Tension is still tension.  Gravity is still gravity.  Traction is still traction.  Normal force is still normal force.


2. "Centrifugal force" is not even a force at all.  It is more like an ILLUSION of a force.

If you whirl a ball on a string in what we call a "conical pendulum", are you pushing or pulling on the string?  HINT...BIG HINT...you CANNOT "push a string".

So, what is this tension force doing to the ball?  It is CAUSING an acceleration of the ball inward.  Inward.

Is there any force that is sending the ball outward?  No...absolutely not.


We only think that there is a "centrifugal pseudoforce" when we place ourselves in a rotating reference frame.  No matter whether the acceleration causes a change in speed or a change in direction...we feel it as an illusion of gravity acting opposite the acceleration of our immediate environment.


We cannot feel the force of gravity.  We can only feel constraint forces and the like.  We are accustomed to feeling gravity constantly.  We aren't really used to consistently steady accelerations in most vehicles, because the vehicles have planned paths that require acceleration to change.  Hence, we think that this effect is an illusion of gravity.  The net illusion of gravity equals true gravity minus acceleration.