Centripetal Force

[HopefulOncoDoc]

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Hey everyone I have a quick question about the centripetal force of a pendulum at its nadir. So, on TBR Physics Section V Passage I #7, it shows a diagram of a pendulum and at its lowest point, the centripetal force mv^2/r is in the same direction as gravity. Why is that? I thought the direction of the centripetal force is always inward along the radius vector. Thanks a lot.

 

[RogueUnicorn]

centripetal force does indeed always point towards the center of the circle, i'm not sure what that diagram is supposed to mean. in the case of the pendulum the tension on the string provides the centripetal force. perhaps they are trying to illustrate that T=Fg at the nadir