If centripetal force acts towards the center of a circle, why do we get pushed to the outside of the circular path when rounding a curve? What is responsible for this sensation? Some have erroneously referred to this sensation as a centrifugal force. What do you think is responsible for this sensation? Think Newton's Laws!
think linear inertia resisting the centripetal force
When rounding a curve, it may feel like we are being pushed to the outside of the circular path, which is often mistaken as a centrifugal force. However, according to Newton's Laws of Motion, there is no such thing as a centrifugal force. Instead, the sensation is a result of inertia and the centripetal force.
Centripetal force is the force acting towards the center of a circular path that keeps an object moving in that path. When you are rounding a curve, the friction between your tires and the road provides the necessary centripetal force to enable you to maintain a curved path.
According to Newton's First Law of Motion, an object in motion tends to stay in motion in a straight line until acted upon by an external force. So, when you are driving straight, your body naturally continues moving in a straight line due to inertia.
However, when you turn the steering wheel and your vehicle starts to follow a curved path, your body still tends to resist changing its direction due to inertia. As a result, your body wants to continue moving in a straight line even though the vehicle is turning. This resistance to change in direction creates a sensation that feels like you are being pushed to the outside of the curve.
In reality, it is actually your body trying to maintain its straight-line motion while the vehicle is turning. The centripetal force provided by the friction between your tires and the road prevents your body from moving straight and keeps it in the curved path, counteracting the inertia.
So, the sensation of being pushed to the outside of a curve is not caused by a centrifugal force, but rather it is a result of inertia and the centripetal force provided by friction.