What Is Centrifuge Force? Definition & History & Application

What is Centrifugal Force?

Centrifugal force is a virtual force, an inertial force, which moves a rotating object away from its center of rotation. Centrifugal force is produced under two conditions, it is produced by the intertwining of the inertial force of motion of the object and the central binding force, and the matter which is free from the central binding force is centrifuged away. And the force that produces the binding force we call centripetal force.

Even simple words can seem incomprehensible when it comes to the description of virtual forces. In fact, centrifugal and centripetal forces exist and interact with each other; if the centrifugal force is less than or equal to the centripetal force, then the object moves around its center of rotation, and conversely, the object tends to move away from the center of rotation.

Where Does Centrifugal Force Exist?

The earliest place where centrifugal force was detectable and relevant to human existence was in the motion of stars (satellite systems). The immense gravitational pull of the stars exerts a huge binding force on the planets, which causes the planets to revolve around the stars; and the binding force exerted by the stars on the planets is constant (at least in the human dimension of perceived time), so that the planets revolve around the stars in almost constant orbital trajectories - the origin of the concept of the "year". origin of the concept of "year".

And perhaps the earliest scene in recorded human history where centrifugal force was discovered and applied was in the fountains of the ancient Babylonian kingdom - if they were using the centrifugal pump principle. The concept of fountains was present in the sky gardens established by the ancient Babylonian civilization in Babylon (or Nineveh, as it was called) in the 6th century BC. A fountain is a combination of water or other liquid under pressure, sprayed through a nozzle with a specific shape. Modern fountains are usually made by centrifugal pumps to apply pressure to the water flow, together with the nozzle to produce a specific shape, so as to form a variety of beautiful fountains. Perhaps the designers of the Ancient Babylonian Sky Garden did discover the existence of centrifugal force in their daily lives, and then designed beautiful hot springs; or maybe it's just wishful thinking on our part.

The earliest record in China of people actively utilizing centrifugal force in their lives is around the beginning of the 3rd century AD. It was during the Wei and Jin dynasties in China, when bees were already being consciously lured into wooden vessels for breeding and honey was removed from the hive for processing or enjoyment by tying a string and shaking the jar. This method, which does not easily damage the honey, has been passed down from generation to generation and has evolved into the current method of honey shaking. In addition to honey shaking and fountains, there are many parts of our lives that are related to centrifugal force. For example, cotton candy machines at roadside stands, spinning umbrellas to get rid of rainwater on a rainy day, and swinging hammers and swings at playgrounds. ...... Centrifugal force is everywhere in our lives.

-Livestock Husbandry

Early animal husbandry lacked effective management tools when grazing, the graziers would tie a rope to look like a live rope buckle, and then fling it out to put it on the necks or legs of animals such as cows and goats after circling many times to achieve the effect of controlling straying herds or going crazy animals. And this lasso was also applied on the battlefield to control the enemy. This application is perhaps the most widespread use of centrifugal force - even though at first people didn't know what centrifugal force was.

-Machine Manufacturing

Rapidly advancing physics and natural sciences rapidly advanced industry, and the first industrial revolution of the 18th century produced a number of excellent modern industrial designs, some of which are still in use today - the centrifugal pump is one such ingenious design. 1689 saw the concept of the centrifugal pump by the French engineer Papin, who in 1705 built the first centrifugal pump with a multi-vane impeller and worm housing. In 1689, French engineer Papin proposed the concept of centrifugal pump, and in 1705, he made the first application of multi-vane impeller and snail-shaped body casing of the liquid pump, this simple pump body became the prototype of the centrifugal pump in later generations. 1754, the Swiss mathematician Euler put forward the basic equation of the impeller-type hydromechanics, laying the foundation for the theoretical design of centrifugal pumps. Although due to the lack of an ideal power source, the superiority of centrifugal pumps was only realized at the end of the 19th century.

Today, centrifugal pumps are used on multiple levels after centuries of development, with colorful applications in industry, agriculture, the nuclear industry and even medicine.

Future Prospects for Centrifugal Applications

With the development of civilization, human scientific research has come a long way from the microcosm to the exploration of outer space. From the permanent magnet bearing centrifugal pumps used in the medical industry to the circular motion of the space station around the earth, the application of centrifugal force is indispensable. Such a long development and the improvement of the modern scientific system and the rapid development of materials science can not be linked. Perhaps in the distant future, the theory of centrifugal force can be combined with more modern technology to produce more ingenious and meaningful designs to improve our lives and escort human civilization.