Centripete

Centripete is a term used to describe motion or forces directed toward the center of a circular path. In physics, it is applied to inward-directed acceleration or forces that keep a body moving along a circle. In contemporary English, centripetal is the standard term, and centripete is uncommon or considered archaic. The word frequently appears in translations from French, where centripète is the feminine form of the adjective, as in force centripète (centripetal force).

Etymology and usage: Centripete likely derives from direct rendering of the French centripète or from older English spellings. It is not widely used in modern technical writing in English. When it does appear, it refers to the same inward-directed concept as centripetal and is generally understood in that sense by physicists, though it may be met with confusion due to its rarity.

Relation to other terms: Centripete should not be confused with centrifugal, which describes an outward tendency in a rotating reference frame. In the standard framework of circular motion, centripetal and centrifugal describe opposite directions depending on the chosen frame of reference, while centripetal denotes the inward direction toward the center.

Examples: A car negotiating a bend experiences centripetal acceleration toward the curve’s center, provided by the net inward force. The term centripetal force is used to describe this inward force, equal in magnitude to m v^2 / r for a particle of mass m moving at speed v along a path of radius r.

See also: centripetal force, centrifugal force, circular motion.