According to Newtonian mechanics, a centrifugal force is an inertial force or an apparent force that acts on objects moving around a center or along a curved path and away from the center of the curve. Because of the force, these objects would move away from the center as they move around it or follow a curved path.
It is important to note that centrifugal force is not really a force. Hence, it is neither one of the four fundamental forces of nature nor one of the non-fundamental forces. However, the concept has many practical implications and thus, examples and applications in real-world situations.
Common Examples and Major Applications of Centrifugal Force
High-G Training: Training designed to help astronauts and aviators become accustomed to high levels of acceleration, such as in the case of spaceflight involves the use of a human centrifuge. The specific human centrifuge training involves placing individuals inside a large centrifuge to test their reaction and tolerance to high acceleration.
Separation of Isotopes: Most nuclear power and nuclear weapon programs use gas centrifuges to separate isotopes of a particular material. The most common use of gas centrifuges is the separation of uranium-235 from uranium-238. The process produces higher concentrations of uranium-235 at lower energy cost compared to the process of gaseous diffusion.
Laundry Applications: One of the most common examples or applications of centrifugal force is the use of washing machine and spin dryers in household and commercial laundry. A washing machine cleans clothes by subjecting them under a repeated rotation to pull out dirt and grime in fabrics. The same mechanism applies in spin dryers that subject fabrics under faster spin to pull out or draw absorbed laundry products and excess water.
Laboratory Centrifuges: An equipment used in chemistry, biology, and medicine for isolating and separating constituents of liquids. A more specific example is blood fractionation that involves subjecting a blood sample in a tube under rotation to separate its red blood cells, leukocytes and platelets, and plasma components.
More Common Examples: The placement and movement of the moon around the earth or the orbiting of planets around the sun in consideration of Newtonian gravity is a prime natural example of centrifugal force. Another example is the feeling of being thrown to the edges or sides as a vehicle accelerates along a curved path.
Other Industrial Applications: Different types of centrifuges have been designed and specifically configured for more specific examples. These include applications for water and wastewater treatment, food production such as in separating cream or fat from milk, material synthesis, and filtration systems for separating particles from liquid.
