How are centripetal force and Newton's second law related?

Centripetal force is the force that acts on an object moving in a circular path, directed towards the center of the circle. This force is required to keep the object in its circular path. Newton's second law, F = ma, states that the force acting on an object is equal to the mass of the object multiplied by its acceleration. In the case of centripetal force, this acceleration is directed towards the center of the circle and is responsible for keeping the object moving in a circular path.