An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics
English-French-Persian

Acting or moving toward a → center or → axis. → centripetal acceleration, → centripetal force.

From Mod.L., coined 1687 by Sir Isaac Newton from L. centri- combining form of centrum "center" + petere "to fall, rush out;" cf. Av. pat- " to fly, fall, rush," Skt. patati "he flies, falls," Mid.Pers. patet "falls," opastan "to fall," Mod.Pers. oftâdan "to fall;" Gk. piptein "to fall," petomai "I fly;" PIE base *pet- "to fly, to rush."

Markaz-gerâ, from markaz, → center, + gerâ "inclining," from gerâyidan "to incline toward;" Mid.Pers. grâyitan, → diverge.

The rate of change of the → tangential velocity of a body moving along a circular path. The direction of centripetal acceleration is always inward along the → radius vector of the → circular motion. The magnitude of the centripetal acceleration is related to the → tangential velocity (v) and → angular velocity (ω) as follows: a_c = v²/r = rω². According to → Newton's second law, an object undergoing centripetal acceleration is experiencing a → centripetal force.

→ centripetal; → acceleration.

The force exerted on an object in → circular motion which is directed toward the center and keeps the body in motion. Centripetal force produces → centripetal acceleration, according to → Newton's second law: F_c = ma_c. Its direction is always inward along the → radius vector, and its magnitude is given by: F_c= ma_c = mv_t²/r = mω²r.

→ centripetal; → force.