Bennett Mechanical Comprehension Practice Test 2025 – The Complete All-in-One Guide to Exam Success!

Centripetal force is indeed directly proportional to the square of the speed of rotation of an object moving along a circular path. The relationship can be expressed mathematically by the formula for centripetal force, which is F = mv²/r, where F is the centripetal force, m is the mass of the object, v is the tangential speed, and r is the radius of the circular path.

This means that as the speed of the rotating object increases, the required centripetal force to keep it moving in a circle also increases. If the speed is doubled, the centripetal force becomes four times greater, demonstrating this squared relationship between speed and force.

In contrast, both the mass of the rotating object and the radius of curvature do influence centripetal force, but they are not the factors by which centripetal force is primarily defined in relation to speed. Angular displacement, on the other hand, does not affect the centripetal force directly, as it relates to the angle through which an object has moved rather than the needs of maintaining circular motion. Thus, the answer focusing on the speed of rotation accurately captures the core factor that directly determines the magnitude of centripetal force in circular motion.