Which Way do you Fall off a Merry-Go-Round?

You might fall off a merry-go-round depending on where you sit and how it spins, just like when you're playing tag or swinging on a swing set!

Imagine you're sitting on a merry-go-round, holding on tight as it starts to spin. When the merry-go-round goes around, your body wants to keep going straight, like when you’re running and suddenly stop; your feet want to slide forward.

If you're near the center of the merry-go-round, you don’t have to hold on as hard because you're moving more slowly. But if you're sitting near the edge, you're spinning faster, it’s like being on a really fast swing! If you let go or don't hold on tight enough, your body will keep going in a straight line, and poof, you fall off!

Your body feels like it's being pushed outward when the merry-go-round spins. This is called centrifugal force, it’s what makes you feel like you're being pulled away from the center of the spin, just like when you swing around really fast and feel like you're going to fly off!