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Centrifugal Force Calculator

Find the centrifugal force on a rotating object.

Result

5,400.00 N

How it is calculated

The force is F = m × v² ÷ r, where m is the mass in kilograms, v is the speed along the circle in metres per second and r is the radius of the circular path in metres. The result is in newtons (N) and is rounded to two decimals. Mass and radius must be above zero. The speed is squared, so its sign does not matter and doubling it makes the force four times larger. The same formula, with the other name, gives the centripetal force that has to be supplied (by friction, tension or a wall) to keep the object on the circle. The tool assumes uniform circular motion at constant speed and does not account for the object's size or for banking.

Worked example

A car of 1200 kg takes a curve of 50 m radius at 15 m/s (54 km/h). Square the speed: 15² = 225. Multiply by the mass: 1200 × 225 = 270,000. Divide by the radius: 270,000 ÷ 50 = 5,400. The force is 5,400.00 N, about 0.46 times the car's weight. The tyres must supply at least this sideways force to stay on the curve.

Try this example →

Common mistakes

  • Entering the speed in km/h. The field expects m/s, so 54 km/h must be typed as 15. Using 54 would make the force 13 times too large.
  • Using the diameter instead of the radius, which gives a result half as large as it should be.
  • Entering the weight in newtons instead of the mass in kilograms.
  • Thinking the force grows in step with speed. It grows with the square of the speed, so going from 15 to 30 m/s quadruples it.
  • Entering revolutions per minute in the speed field. Convert to linear speed first: v = 2π × r × (rpm ÷ 60).

About this calculator

This calculator finds the centrifugal force, F = m·v²/r (equivalently m·ω²·r using angular velocity), the outward-pointing pseudo-force felt by an object moving in a circular path when analyzed from the object's own rotating reference frame — equal in size and opposite in direction to the real inward centripetal force that keeps it turning. Mass m, speed v, and radius r determine its magnitude, with force growing with the square of speed and shrinking as the radius widens.

Mechanical engineers use this to design centrifuges that separate substances by density (blood samples, industrial slurries), engineers analyzing vehicle cornering use it to understand the forces passengers and cargo feel on a curve, and amusement-park ride designers use it to calculate the forces riders experience on spinning attractions. Physics students learning about rotating reference frames, lab technicians operating centrifuges, and appliance engineers designing washing-machine spin cycles all use this calculator regularly.

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