Using a free body diagram, on an object spinning in the air while attached to a string, there would be the force of gravity on the object and the tension force from the string. In centripetal motion, the net force would have to be towards the center of the circle. Because gravity doesn't act horizontally, the object would have to orbit the center at an angle lower than the horizontal. How come I can create a horizontal centripetal motion with my hand and some object attached to a string? Is my hand somehow creating a force that counteracts the force of gravity? Or is it not remotely close to being considered as centripetal motion?
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5$\begingroup$ You can never spin an object completely horizontally on a string. That would require either infinite speed or no zero gravity. $\endgroup$– Kristoffer SjööCommented Mar 14, 2021 at 7:23
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Think about the free-body diagram when you are spinning the object more slowly. The object on the string is lower than if you were at full spinning speed. From this viewpoint you can see that the tension actually has a vertical component, not just horizontal.
