Centripetal Force Calculator
Find the centripetal force that keeps an object moving in a circle from its mass, speed, and radius.
N
kg
m/s
m
Force directed toward the centre of the circle
- 1
Speed squared
v² = 10 × 10 = 100 - 2
Centripetal force
m × v² ÷ r = 2 × 100 ÷ 5 = 40F = m·v²/r — the net inward force required for circular motion.
How does this calculator work?
Centripetal force keeps an object in circular motion and equals F = m·v²/r, where m is mass, v is speed, and r is radius. The associated centripetal acceleration is a = v²/r and angular speed is ω = v/r. Enter any three values to solve for the fourth in SI units.
Formula
How this is calculated
An object moving in a circle of radius r at constant speed v is constantly accelerating toward the centre. This centripetal acceleration is a = v²/r, and by Newton’s second law the inward (centripetal) force required is F = m·a = m·v²/r, where m is the mass in kilograms. The calculator also reports the angular speed ω = v/r in radians per second.
Enter any three of the four quantities — force F (N), mass m (kg), speed v (m/s), radius r (m) — and leave one blank to solve for it. Rearranging the formula gives m = F·r/v², v = √(F·r/m), and r = m·v²/F. Speed must give a non-negative value under the square root, and radius and mass must be non-zero where they appear in a denominator.
The model assumes uniform circular motion (constant speed) and a point mass, so the net force is purely centripetal with no tangential component. Real systems may also involve gravity, friction, or banking; this calculator isolates the centripetal requirement only. All inputs use SI units, so results are in newtons, metres per second squared, and radians per second.
Frequently asked questions
It is the net inward force needed to keep an object moving along a circular path. Without it the object would travel in a straight line by inertia.
Centripetal acceleration is a = v²/r and force is F = m·a. So the force scales with mass and acceleration; doubling the speed quadruples both because of the v² term.
No. It is the role played by whatever real force points toward the centre — tension, gravity, friction, or a normal force — not a separate force on its own.
Also known as
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team. (2026). Centripetal Force Calculator [Online calculator]. TG we-Calculate. https://we-calculate.com/calculator/centripetal-force-calculator
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team. "Centripetal Force Calculator." TG we-Calculate. 2026. https://we-calculate.com/calculator/centripetal-force-calculator.
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team, "Centripetal Force Calculator," TG we-Calculate, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://we-calculate.com/calculator/centripetal-force-calculator
@misc{wecalculate_centripetal_force_calculator, title = {Centripetal Force Calculator}, author = {{TG we-Calculate Editorial Team}}, howpublished = {\url{https://we-calculate.com/calculator/centripetal-force-calculator}}, year = {2026}, note = {TG we-Calculate} }
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