Fictitious vs. Reactive Force
The table below compares various facets of the "fictitious force" and "reactive force" concepts of centrifugal force
| Fictitious centrifugal force | Reactive centrifugal force | |
|---|---|---|
| Reference frame |
Non-inertial frames | Any |
| Exerted by |
Acts as if emanating from the rotation axis, but no real source |
Bodies moving in curved paths |
| Exerted upon |
All bodies, moving or not; if moving, Coriolis force also is present |
The object(s) causing the curved motion, not upon the body in curved motion |
| Direction | Away from rotation axis, regardless of path of body |
Opposite to the centripetal force causing curved path |
| Analysis | Kinetic: included as force in Newton's laws of motion |
Kinematic: related to centripetal force |
Read more about this topic: Centrifugal Force
Famous quotes containing the words fictitious and/or force:
“It is, indeed, at home that every man must be known by those who would make a just estimate either of his virtue or felicity; for smiles and embroidery are alike occasional, and the mind is often dressed for show in painted honour, and fictitious benevolence.”
—Samuel Johnson (1709–1784)
“If the oarsmen of a fast-moving ship suddenly cease to row, the suspension of the driving force of the oars doesn’t prevent the vessel from continuing to move on its course. And with a speech it is much the same. After he has finished reciting the document, the speaker will still be able to maintain the same tone without a break, borrowing its momentum and impulse from the passage he has just read out.”
—Marcus Tullius Cicero (106–43 B.C)