Question

Which best describes the effect of centrifugal force on a vehicle when entering a curve?

A) Pulls the vehicle toward the inside of the curve
B) Pushes the vehicle toward the outside of the curve
C) Has no effect on the vehicle
D) Increases traction on the curve

Answer 1

The effect of centrifugal force pushes a vehicle toward the outside of a curve due to inertia, although centrifugal force is not an actual force but a perceived effect.

Step-by-step explanation:

The effect of centrifugal force on a vehicle when entering a curve best describes that it pushes the vehicle toward the outside of the curve. While not a real force, but instead a fictitious force, centrifugal force represents the tendency of an object moving in a circle to travel away from the center due to inertia. This effect increases as the sharpness of the curve or the vehicle's speed increases. When driving through a curve, the centripetal force, provided by the tires' friction, is what pulls the vehicle toward the center of the curve.

Essentially, in the absence of an actual centrifugal force, what we perceive as being 'pushed outwards' is our body's resistance to the change in direction that the car is undergoing. This manifestation of inertia is a result of Newton's first law of motion.