Does Centrifugal Force Act During or After Spinning in a Centrifuge?

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SUMMARY

Centrifugal force acts while a centrifuge is in operation, not after it stops. This force is a result of inertia, which causes objects to move outward when subjected to centripetal force. The discussion clarifies that from the perspective of the test tube, centrifugal force is perceived due to the lack of centripetal force acting on it, while an external observer would note the centripetal force acting inward. Understanding these forces is crucial for grasping the mechanics of centrifugation.

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Hello everyone,

If some test tubes are placed in a centrifuge to separate the liquid in them, does the separation occur after the spinning is finished. I can't see how the centrifugal force can act when the tubes are spinning, does it act after it finishes. Thanks
 
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russ_watters said:
It acts while the centrifuge is running, not after. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centripetal_force

Thanks for the reply Russ!

Ok then I haven't understood this concept.

centrifugal.free.gif


Ok a person was initially traveling at V direction and then centriptal force acted upon him to make him go in a circle. Now if centrifugal force is inertia, why is acting opposite to centripetal force, shouldn't it act tangent to the circle, if I stop the centripetal force the man would travel tangent to the circle. If inertia is in that direction why is centifugal force acting some other way, also I read that this force really doesn't exist, then how does it separate the liquid. Thanks!

Edit: Ok I think I worked it out. If there is a box in the back seat of the car, and the car is traveling straight and suddenly acted upon by the centripetal force, the box would obviously try to keep moving forward with cars orginal speed, but the centripetal force has already turned the car, so the box is not going to hit the front seat but the side of the car.
 
Last edited:
From the test tube's perspective, there is no centripetal force, but there is centrifugal force. Its the opposite for an observer watching the test tube. Careful not to mix these cases up.
 
Academic said:
From the test tube's perspective, there is no centripetal force, but there is centrifugal force. Its the opposite for an observer watching the test tube. Careful not to mix these cases up.

How does the test tube only observe centrifugal force? The force on the test tube is the centripetal force acting inward.
 

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