What is the effect of centripetal force in uniform circular motion (UCM)?

In uniform circular motion, the centripetal force is essential for maintaining the circular path of an object. Although the speed of the object remains constant, the direction of its velocity is continuously changing as the object moves. This change in direction is a result of the centripetal force acting perpendicular to the object's instantaneous velocity at any point in its path. Therefore, the centripetal force does not influence the speed but rather ensures that the object keeps moving in a circle, effectively changing the direction of its velocity vector while maintaining a constant speed. This interplay between the centripetal force and the object's mass and speed is crucial for understanding motion in circular paths.