Centripetal force

High school (ages 12+)
Science & Technology

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/centripetal-force

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. Who discovered Centripetal force?Mathematically formalized and integrated into classical mechanics by Isaac Newton in 1687
2. What is centripetal force?Centripetal force is the inward pull that keeps an object moving in a circle, like the force that keeps you on a merry‑go‑round.
3. Why does a car stay on the road when it turns?The friction between the tires and the road provides the centripetal force that changes the car’s direction so it doesn’t fly straight off.

Centripetal Acceleration: The acceleration directed towards the center of curvature, causing an object to move in a circular path.
Inertia: The tendency of an object to resist changes in its state of motion; an object in motion stays in motion in a straight line unless acted upon by a force.
Centrifugal Force: An apparent outward force experienced in a rotating frame of reference, arising from inertia, not a true physical force.