Question

Define centripetal force and its equation

Answer 1

A centripetal force is a force that makes a body follow a curved path. It's direction is always orthogonal to the motion of the body and towards the fixed point of the Intanesous centre of curvature of the path.

Answer 2

If a body is moving in a circular path some forces acting on that revolving body ,in those one of the force is centripetal force. Centripetal force is the force that acts towards the centre of the revolving path . It always acts perpendicular to velocity at that particular instant .
The net force which changes only the direction of a body is called centripetal force.

Let us find valu of centripetal force.
According to Newton's second law of motion,
F(net) = mass × acceleration
F(c) = ma(c)
F(c) =mv^2/R.