Centripetal & Centrifugal Force — NEET Physics MCQs with Solutions
Free NEET Physics Centripetal & Centrifugal Force MCQs with step-by-step solutions (8 questions). Part of Circular Motion. Practise online on Prepizo — no login needed.
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Questions with solutions
Q1 — Centripetal & Centrifugal Force · easy · theory
Centrifugal force is:
A. Always present in the ground frame
B. A pseudo force that appears only in the rotating (non-inertial) frame ✓ Correct
C. A real reaction to the centripetal force
D. The force that keeps a body in a circle
Solution: It exists only for observers in the rotating frame (magnitude mω²r, outward). In the inertial frame only the real centripetal force acts. Trap: it is NOT the Newton's-third-law pair of the centripetal force.
Q2 — Centripetal & Centrifugal Force · medium · theory
A stone whirled on a string breaks free. In the ground frame, immediately afterwards it moves:
A. In a spiral
B. Along the tangent to the circle at the point of release ✓ Correct
C. Radially outward
D. Radially inward
Solution: With no centripetal force, inertia carries it along its instantaneous velocity — the tangent. "Flying outward" is the rotating-frame illusion.
Q3 — Centripetal & Centrifugal Force · easy · numerical
A 0.5 kg stone moves in a horizontal circle of radius 2 m at 6 m/s. The centripetal force is:
A. 36 N
B. 3 N
C. 18 N
D. 9 N ✓ Correct
Solution: F = mv²/r = 0.5×36/2 = 9 N.
Q4 — Centripetal & Centrifugal Force · medium · numerical
A 2 kg body is whirled at 5 rad/s in a circle of radius 0.4 m. In the rotating frame, the centrifugal force experienced is:
A. 20 N outward ✓ Correct
B. 20 N inward
C. 4 N outward
D. 50 N outward
Solution: F = mω²r = 2×25×0.4 = 20 N, directed radially outward in the rotating frame.
Q5 — Centripetal & Centrifugal Force · hard · numerical
A string of breaking tension 100 N whirls a 1 kg stone in a horizontal circle of radius 1 m. Neglecting gravity, the maximum angular speed before the string snaps is:
A. 10 rad/s ✓ Correct
B. 20 rad/s
C. 100 rad/s
D. 5 rad/s
Solution: T = mω²r ⇒ ω_max = √(100/(1×1)) = 10 rad/s.
Q6 — Centripetal & Centrifugal Force · medium · numerical
The centripetal force on a body in UCM is F. If its speed is tripled at the same radius, the required force becomes:
A. 3F
B. F/3
C. 6F
D. 9F ✓ Correct
Solution: F = mv²/r ∝ v² ⇒ ×9.
Q7 — Centripetal & Centrifugal Force · easy · numerical
A 1200 kg car takes a level turn of radius 60 m at 12 m/s. The centripetal force required is:
A. 1440 N
B. 2880 N ✓ Correct
C. 5760 N
D. 240 N
Solution: F = mv²/r = 1200×144/60 = 2880 N (provided by tyre friction).
Q8 — Centripetal & Centrifugal Force · medium · numerical
A 50 kg astronaut trainee sits in a centrifuge of radius 5 m spun at 2 rad/s. The seat pushes on the trainee with a horizontal force of:
A. 2000 N
B. 100 N
C. 500 N
D. 1000 N ✓ Correct
Solution: F = mω²r = 50×4×5 = 1000 N — the real inward (centripetal) push of the seat.