Assignment: Unit 1 Lesson 3

Important Points

Inertial Frame of Reference

An inertial frame of reference is a frame where Newton’s law holds true. That means
if no external force is acting on a body it will stay at rest or remain in uniform motion.

Actually, the term inertial frame is relative i.e. first we assume a reference frame to be
the inertial frame of reference. So a more general definition of an inertial frame would
be: Inertial frame is at rest or moves with constant velocity with respect to my
assumed inertial reference frame.

Non-inertial Frame of Reference

Now we can define a non-inertial frame as a frame that is accelerated with respect to
the assumed inertial frame of reference. Newton’s law will not hold true in these
frames.
1. How can you tell if two objects are in motion with respect to one another?
2. Is there a right or wrong way to choose a frame of reference?
3. Design a concept organizer (like a flow chart) to help organize your thoughts as they
relate to inertial and non-inertial frames of reference.
4. Passengers in a high-speed elevator feel as though they are being pressed heavily
against the floor when the elevator starts moving up. After the elevator reaches its
maximum speed, the feeling disappears.
a. When do the elevator and passengers form an inertial frame of reference? A non-
inertial frame of reference?
b. Before the elevator starts moving, what forces are acting on the passengers?
How large is the external (unbalanced) force? How do you know?
c. Is a person standing outside the elevator in an inertial or noninertial frame of
reference?
d. Is the pressure that the passenger’s feel a fictitious force? Justify your answer.
5. Suppose you are on a train moving with a constant velocity. Another train on parallel
tracks is moving with the same velocity. A passenger in the other train is tossing a ball
vertically in the air.
a. Describe how the path of the ball would look to you.
b. Describe how the path of the ball would look if the trains moved in opposite
directions.
Solutions:
1. Either their relative position or relative direction changes.

2. A frame of reference to be chosen should be at rest or moving with constant velocity.

3.

Example 1
Example 2

Example 3

Example 4
4.
a. When the elevator is either at rest or moving with uniform velocity, the elevator is
an inertial frame of reference.
When the elevator is accelerating up or down, the elevator is a non-inertial frame of
reference.

b. Before the elevator starts moving, gravity from the Earth and reaction force from
the floor are acting on the passengers.
The net external force is zero because the passengers are at rest with no acceleration.
They do feel their normal weight.
c. A person standing outside the elevator is in an inertial frame of reference.
d. The pressure that the passenger’s feel is a real force, because an increased reaction
force from the floor is needed to accelerate the passengers up.

5.
a. The ball will appear to be moving vertically up in the air and then falling vertically
down.
b. The ball will appear to be moving along a parabolic path, with downward
acceleration.