Bodies undergoing rotary motion around a fixed axis are also subject to a linear force. When an object attached to a line is whirled around in a circular path and then released, the object flies off on a path that forms a tangent to the circular path it was following at the point at which it was released, since this is the direction it was travelling in at the point of release. Centripetal force
prevents the rotating body from leaving its circular path while rotation occurs around a fixed axis. The direction of a centripetal force is always toward the centre of rotation; this is the reason it is also known as centre seeking force. Centripetal force produces the radial component of the acceleration of a body travelling on a curved path. The magnitude of centripetal force depends on the mass, speed, and radius of rotation of the rotating body. When rounding a corner in a relay race, there is a sensation of being pushed in the direction of the outside of the curve. What is felt has been referred to as centrifugal force. This is because, according to Newton’s first law, the body’s inertia tends to cause it to continue travelling on a straight, rather than a curved path