Does centrifugal force teach us about gravity?
12.06.2025 06:56
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.
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.
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.
However, in many situations - talking about centrifugal forces can be a VERY useful simplification and thinking aid.