How do inertia and centripetal force combine to keep an object moving in circular motion?

centripetal force acts toward the center of the circle to overcome inertia, which acts away from the center.

inertia acts toward the center of the circle to overcome centripetal force, which acts away from the center.

centripetal force acts toward the center of the circle, and inertia keeps the object moving forward.

inertia acts toward the center of the circle, and centripetal force keeps the object moving forward.

Centripetal force acts toward the center of the circle, and inertia keeps the object moving forward.

Is a  vector quantity  that refers to "the rate at which an object changes its position." imagine a person moving rapidly - one step forward and one step back - always returning to the original starting position. while this might result in a frenzy of activity, it would result in a zero velocity. because the person always returns to the original position, the motion would never result in a change in position. since velocity is defined as the rate at which the position changes, this motion results in zero velocity. if a person in motion wishes to maximize their velocity, then that person must make every effort to maximize the amount that they are displaced from their original position. every step must go into moving that person further from where he or she started. for certain, the person should never change directions and begin to return to the starting position.