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Does centrifugal force teach us about gravity?

12.06.2025 04:29

Does centrifugal force teach us about gravity?

The more anal scientists out there insist that it’s not a proper force - and that we should either stop using it - or talk about centripetal force instead…blah, blah, blah.

However, in many situations - talking about centrifugal forces can be a VERY useful simplification and thinking aid.

And then there are those on the higher scale of anality who really don’t want to talk about gravity as a force either - since it’s just a consequence of the curvature of space-time.

I’m a 25 year old teacher teaching at boys school & I have colleagues younger than me. I caught one of my students telling her he wanted her as his teacher instead & it hurt my feelings. They compliment her a lot. It makes me jealous. What do I do?

Not really - you can kinda use centrifugal force as a kind of stand-in for gravity - or to oppose gravity in (for example) a orbital situation - but the two things are really wildly different.