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A centrifugal switch is a device designed to open or close a set of electrical contacts when the machine it is attached to reaches a pre-determined rotational speed. These devices make use of a phenomenon known as centrifugal force to achieve this switching action. The most common uses of centrifugal switches are starter cut-outs on gasoline engines and starting winding disconnectors in split phase electric motors. Centrifugal force is a product of rotational motion and requires one half of the centrifugal switch mechanism to rotate along with the crankshaft or rotor and the other to be static.
If a bucket of water is rapidly rotated in a 360-degree arc, none of the water will spill out of the bucket as long as the rotation is maintained. If a heavy ball on the end of a rope is rotated in the same way, the ball lifts until it is level with the center of rotation. A fast cornering car will also tend to drift towards the outside of the turn. All of these effects result from centrifugal force which dictates that inertia in conjunction with rotation will always force a rotating object away from the center of rotation. This effect forms the core of centrifugal switch operation.