Force can be thought of as either a push or a pull, as long as it makes the object move in a circular path.

Explanation:

Centripetal force is a force required by an object to move in a circular path. Mathematically, it is given by :

m is the mass of an object

v is the velocity

r is the radius of circular path

The centripetal force acts towards the center of the circle. The speed of object remains constant while its velocity keeps on changing always. In the absence of the centripetal force, the object moves in straight line.