Centrifugal Force Calculator
Centrifugal force is the outward push you feel whenever you move along a curved path, the sensation that throws you against the door of a car taking a sharp bend or that pins clothes to the drum of a spinning washing machine. In the rotating frame of reference it has a clear size, equal in magnitude to the centripetal force that keeps the object on its circular track, but directed outward instead of toward the center. This calculator gives that magnitude. You enter the mass of the object, the tangential speed at which it travels around the circle, and the radius of the circle, and it returns the force in newtons. The relationship is exact and simple: the force grows with mass, climbs sharply with speed because speed is squared, and rises as the radius shrinks because a tighter turn demands a faster change of direction. Engineers use it to size flywheels, centrifuges, road curves and amusement rides, while it also explains why mud flies off a spinning wheel. The defaults describe a 2 kilogram object at 5 meters per second around a 1.5 meter circle. Every figure here is computed deterministically from the standard physics formula shown below, with a worked example that reconciles exactly to the calculator defaults.
Centrifugal force equals the mass times the speed squared, divided by the radius: F = m x v^2 / r. For a mass of 2 kg moving at 5 m/s around a radius of 1.5 m, the centrifugal force is 33.33 N.
Centrifugal force formula
F = m x v^2 / r
m = mass of the object (kg)
v = tangential speed (m/s)
r = radius of the circular path (m)
F = centrifugal force (N)
The force is equal in magnitude to the centripetal force needed to hold the object on its circle. Speed enters as a square, so it dominates: doubling the speed quadruples the force. Halving the radius doubles the force.
Worked example
Take a 2 kilogram object moving at 5 meters per second around a circle of radius 1.5 meters.
- Square the speed: 5^2 = 25
- Multiply by mass: 2 x 25 = 50
- Divide by radius: 50 / 1.5 = 33.33 N
The centrifugal force is 33.33 N. These are the calculator's default inputs, so the result above matches the widget exactly.
How force changes with the inputs
| Change | Effect on force | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Double the mass | Force doubles | Mass is a linear factor |
| Double the speed | Force quadruples | Speed is squared |
| Double the radius | Force halves | Radius is in the denominator |
All inputs are in SI units. Keep mass in kilograms, speed in meters per second and radius in meters to read the force in newtons.
Centrifugal force calculator: frequently asked questions
What is centrifugal force?
Centrifugal force is the outward force felt by an object moving in a circle, as experienced in the rotating frame of reference. It has the same magnitude as the centripetal force that keeps the object on its circular path, m times v squared divided by r, but points outward rather than toward the center.
How is centrifugal force different from centripetal force?
They are equal in size and opposite in direction. Centripetal force is the real inward force, from tension, gravity or friction, that bends the path into a circle. Centrifugal force is the apparent outward force you feel in the rotating frame. Both equal m times v squared divided by r, so this calculator gives the magnitude of either.
What units does the calculator use?
It uses SI units: mass in kilograms, tangential speed in meters per second and radius in meters. The result is in newtons. Keep every input in these units and the output force is correct in newtons without any conversion.
Why does a smaller radius increase the force?
Because radius sits in the denominator. For a fixed mass and speed, halving the radius doubles the force, since the object must change direction more sharply to stay on the tighter circle. Speed matters even more: it is squared, so doubling the speed quadruples the force.
Does this formula need the angular velocity?
Not in this form. F equals m times v squared divided by r uses the tangential speed v directly. If you only know the angular velocity, you can convert it to tangential speed by multiplying by the radius, v equals omega times r, then enter that speed here.
Official sources
- Mechanics and SI units references: US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). As at 25 June 2026.
Reviewed by the CalculatorHub team, edited by James Graham, 25 June 2026. See our methodology. This is general information, not financial, tax, legal or investment advice.