EngiRef / Mechanical Engineering Formula

Centripetal Force

Centripetal Force: Force required for circular motion. A Dynamics formula in mechanical engineering. Variables F, m, v and r, each with SI and imperial units.

Dynamics

Specification

Name
Centripetal Force
Discipline
mechanical
Category
Dynamics
LaTeX
F = \frac{mv^2}{r}
Description
Force required for circular motion
Can solve for
F, m, v, r
Tags
centripetal, circular, motion, force

Variables

Variables for Centripetal Force
SymbolNameUnitSi UnitImperial Unit
FCentripetal ForceNNlbf
mMasskgkgslug
vVelocitym/sm/sft/s
rRadiusmmft

Common questions

What is the Centripetal Force formula?
Force required for circular motion. It sits under Dynamics, Mechanical engineering in the EngiRef reference.
What do the symbols in the Centripetal Force formula mean?
In Centripetal Force, F is centripetal force in N; m is mass in kg; v is velocity in m/s; r is radius in m.