Define centrifugal force

• A. Inward force toward the center
• B. Outward force produced whenever a body moves in a curved path
• C. Force that twists blades
• D. The centripetal component of inertia

Answer: (B)

When an object follows a curved path, its inertia tends to keep it moving straight, so there must be an inward force toward the center to keep it in the curve. In a rotating or non-inertial frame, this outward reaction is described as an apparent force called centrifugal force. It is the outward push you observe or feel when a body moves along a curved path from the rotating frame’s point of view.

That outward direction is the key idea—centrifugal force is not a real, separate push toward the outside in an inertial frame; rather, it is the apparent force you assign in a rotating reference frame to account for the inward centripetal requirement. In contrast, inward toward the center is centripetal force, which is the real force directing the mass toward the center to sustain the curved motion. The other options don’t fit because they either describe the inward centripetal effect, a nonessential concept about twisting blades, or a misnamed aspect of inertia.