What is the Difference Between Gravitational Force and Centripetal Force?

The main difference between gravitational force and centripetal force lies in their definitions, causes, and applications. Here are the key differences:

Gravitational Force:
It is the force of attraction between two objects with mass.
It is a fundamental force that exists between all objects with mass, and it obeys an inverse square law, meaning the force is stronger when objects are closer together and weaker when they are farther apart.
Gravitational force can create both linear and nonlinear movements.
In the context of planetary motion, gravity acts as the centripetal force that keeps planets in orbit around their parent star.
Centripetal Force:
It is the force that keeps an object moving in a circular path.
It is the vector sum of forces towards the center of a circle in rotational motion.
Centripetal force only creates nonlinear movements.
It is required in any nonlinear motion, such as the circular motion of objects in space.

In summary, gravitational force is the force of attraction between two objects with mass, while centripetal force is the force that keeps an object moving in a circular path. Gravity can act as a centripetal force in certain situations, such as when an object is in orbit around another object.

On this page

What is the Difference Between Gravitational Force and Centripetal Force?

Comparative Table: Gravitational Force vs Centripetal Force

Here is a table comparing the differences between gravitational force and centripetal force:

Feature	Gravitational Force	Centripetal Force
Definition	The force of attraction between two objects with mass	The force that keeps an object in circular motion
Formulation	$$Fg = \frac{GMem}{r^2}$$ (where $$Fg$$ is the gravitational force, $$Me$$ is the mass of the Earth, $$m$$ is the mass of the object, and $$r$$ is the distance between the object and the Earth)	$$Fc = m\frac{v^2}{r}$$ (where $$Fc$$ is the centripetal force, $$m$$ is the mass of the object, $$v$$ is the object's linear velocity, and $$r$$ is the radius of the circular path)
Direction	Always acts along the line connecting the two objects	Acts perpendicular to the object's linear velocity, pointing toward the center of the circular path
Examples	The force that keeps the Earth and other planets in orbit around the Sun, and the force that causes objects to fall to the ground	The force experienced by a stone in a circular path when whirled at the end of a string, or the force experienced by a car on a banked road that keeps it from flying off the road

In summary, gravitational force is an attractive force between objects with mass, while centripetal force is the force required to keep an object in circular motion. The forces have different formulations, directions, and examples of application.

Guilherme Mazui

Guilherme Mazui is graduated in journalism from the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG) and a master's degree in Communication from the University of São Paulo (USP). In addition, he has experience in advertising writing and has worked as a content editor in several companies.