Is centripetal force greater than centrifugal force?

2 replies · 4K views · last reply
StevenJacobs990
Messages
16
Reaction score
0
Conical pendulum diagram: a mass m on a string of length L from a ceiling support, swinging in a horizontal circle at angle θ from the vertical, with velocity v shown tangent to the circle.

Why is resultant force directed towards the center of the circular path? Is it because centripetal force is greater than centrifugal force?
If the centrifugal force is greater, then the ball will rise? (If the string doesn't snap)
 
StevenJacobs990 said:
Why is resultant force directed towards the center of the circular path?
The mass is accelerating towards the center, so the net force had better be towards the center.

StevenJacobs990 said:
Is it because centripetal force is greater than centrifugal force?
Centrifugal force is a 'fictitious' inertial force that only appears when viewing things from a rotating frame. I suggest forgetting about it until you need to deal with such frames.
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: CWatters
StevenJacobs990 said:
Is it because centripetal force is greater than centrifugal force?
If that would be the case, the pendulum would not move in a circle.

Where else do you expect the resultant force to point to? Especially if you know that it moves in a circle?

StevenJacobs990 said:
If the centrifugal force is greater, then the ball will rise? (If the string doesn't snap)
Centrifugal force is a fictitious force in a rotating coordinate system. It depends only on the coordinate system, so it cannot magically increase.