Uniform circular motion and centripetal force

An object moving in a circle at constant speed is still accelerating, because the direction of its velocity keeps changing. This centripetal acceleration points toward the center of the circle and equals speed squared divided by radius (a = v^2 / r). Producing it takes a net force toward the center, the centripetal force (F = m v^2 / r), which is always supplied by a real force: tension in a string swinging a ball, friction between tires and road on a curve, or gravity keeping the Moon in orbit around Earth. If that force suddenly disappeared, the object would fly off in a straight line tangent to the circle, not straight outward.

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