NEET Physics 2025 – 400 Free Practice Questions to Pass the Exam

Centripetal force is defined as the net force directed toward the center of a circular path, which is essential for an object to maintain its circular motion. This force is not necessarily a separate type of force but can result from other forces acting on an object, such as tension, gravity, or friction, depending on the context.

When an object moves in a circular path, it continuously changes direction, which means it is accelerating. According to Newton's second law, an object requires a net force to change its velocity, including its direction. Thus, to keep the object in its curved trajectory, this net force—referred to as centripetal force—must always act perpendicular to the object's velocity and point towards the center of the circular path.

Understanding centripetal force is crucial in various applications, from vehicles making a turn on a road to celestial bodies orbiting around a planet. Its role in maintaining circular motion reiterates the importance of forces in dynamics and the influence they have on objects in motion.