In uniform circular motion, which force is commonly (but incorrectly) thought to push a vehicle away from the center of the road during a turn?

• A. $Centripetal force$
• B. $Frictional force$
• C. $Centrifugal force$
• D. $Gravitational force$

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that in uniform circular motion, an object moves along a circular path at a constant speed, which requires a net force directed toward the center of the circle. This force is called the centripetal force and is responsible for changing the direction of the velocity vector.
2. Recognize that many people mistakenly believe there is a force pushing the object outward, away from the center of the circle, during a turn. This supposed force is called the centrifugal force, but it is not a real force acting on the object; rather, it is a perceived effect due to inertia in a rotating reference frame.
3. Recall that the centripetal force can be provided by different physical forces depending on the situation, such as frictional force between tires and road for a car turning, tension in a string for a ball on a string, or gravitational force for planets orbiting the sun.
4. Identify that the frictional force acts toward the center of the circle in the case of a vehicle turning on a road, providing the necessary centripetal force to keep the vehicle moving in a circular path.
5. Conclude that the force commonly (but incorrectly) thought to push the vehicle outward during a turn is the centrifugal force, which is a fictitious force experienced in the rotating frame of the vehicle, not an actual force acting on it.