Question

Which of the following terms might a jet pilot use to describe a force that presses him against his seat during a high speed turn?
Radial, Centrifugal, tangential, or perpendicular force?

I'm thinking centrifugal force.

Answer 1

CENTRIFUGAL FORCE. Radial is out because it’s a vector quantity, it deals with an object glowing in a straight geometric line. Just think of the radius when coming across the term radial. The perpendicular force is like thinking of the normal force, it only focuses on the force of the pilot against the seat. It’s definitely centrifugal force, it’s the apparent outward force that draws a rotating body away from the center of rotation. Another good example of the centrifugal force would be swinging a bucket full of water up and down in a circular motion. The force of the swing will allow the water to remain in the bucket as it is being swung around in a circular motion. Of course when the swinging motion is stopped at the top of the swing, the centrifugal force will dramatically decrease and pour all the water all over the ground.