In uniform circular motion the force on the rotating body acts along the radius towards the centre of the circular path and is known as centripetal force.
Eg:
1. In the case of a stone rotated round the circle by means of a string, the centripetal force is provided by the tension in the string.
2. The force of gravitational attraction towards the sun is the centripetal force keeping the planets orbiting round the sun.
3. In an atom the electrons revolve round the nucleus in the circular orbit the centripetal force is provided by the electrostatic force of attraction between the nucleus and the electrons.
