frames of reference - Overview, Structure, Properties & Uses

Frame of Reference - Definition, Types, Example, Difference, FAQs

Edited By Team Careers360 | Updated on Jun 01, 2022 05:52 PM IST

What is mean by reference?

In physics, reference meaning is a relationship between objects during which one object designates, or acts as a way by which to attach to or link to, another object. Reference name meaning in hindi is “संदर्भ”.

In this article, we will discuss, what is frame? What is the frame of reference? What are the different types of frame? What are examples of frame? What is the inertial and non inertial frame of reference? What is the difference between an inertial and non-inertial frame of reference? What is an example of an inertial and non-inertial frame of reference? So let’s see,

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What is mean by reference?
What is a frame?
What is the frame of reference?

What is a frame?

In physics, a frame of reference (or reference frame) consists of an abstract coordinate system whose origin, direction, and scale are identified by a set of reference points – geometric point whose position is specified both mathematically and physically. The frame is also called a frame of reference or reference of frame.

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What is the frame of reference?

Definition: A frame of reference is a set of coordinates that can be used to find out positions and velocities of objects in that frame; divergent frames of reference to make move relative to one another. The meaning of Frame of reference is “a system of geometric axes in relation to which measurements of size, position, or motion can be made”. The meaning of frame of reference in hindi is “संदर्भ विन्यास”.

Example of Frame of reference is, Think up, you fling and caught a ball interval you were on a train moving at a continuing velocity past a station. To you, the ball appears to easily travel vertically up then down under the influence of gravity. However, to an observer stood on the station platform the ball would seem to travel during a parabola, with a continuing horizontal component of velocity adequate to the speed of the train. This is often illustrated in Figure 1 below:

Figure 1: Path of the ball as seen by an observer on the train and an observer at the station.

In this figure it shows the path of the ball as seen by an onlooker on the train and an onlooker at the station. The different monitoring occurs because the two onlookers are in different frames of reference. The frames of reference that emerge are all classical (meaning the effects of Special Relativity are passed over), and inertial (meaning the frames are not accelerating relative to one another). The laws of physics are the identical in all inertial frames (this is called as Galilean invariance). Set in another way, there is no experiment that you could do to find out which reference frame you are in (Einstein used this hypothesis to devise the theory of Special Relativity). This means that we will address problems in any coordinate system to offer the same solution.

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What is a different type of Frame of reference (Reference of frame)?

There are two kinds/type of Frame of reference:

Inertial frame of reference
Non-inertial frame of reference

Inertial frame of reference:

Definition: Inertia is that the property of a body by the virtue of which it either remains at rest or within the state of motion until it's acted upon by any external force. The meaning of inertial frame of reference in hindi is भौतिकी में जड़त्वीय फ्रेम. A frame of reference that remnants at rest or passes with constant velocity with respect to other frames of reference is called Inertial Frame of Reference. Inertial frames of reference possess a constant velocity. That is, it is passing at a constant speed in a straight line, or it is reputed still. Newton’s laws of motion are reasonable in all inertial frames of reference. Here, a body does not swap because of external forces. All inertial frames of reference are identical for the measurement of physical occurrence.

Inertial frame of reference

There are several approaches to visualize this motion:

Our earth/orb.
A space alternate moving with constant velocity relative to the earth/orb.
A rocket in motion with constant velocity relative to the earth.

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Example of inertial frame of reference:

example of inertial frame of reference

A car at standstill or a bus moving with constant pace is contemplated to be inertial frames of reference.

Non-Inertial frame of reference:

Non inertial frame of reference

Definition: A frame of reference is professed to be a non-inertial frame of reference when a body, not acted upon by an external force, is accelerated. In a non-inertial frame of reference, Newton’s laws of motion are not reasonable/valid. As well, it does not have a constant velocity and is accelerating.

There are several approaches to imagine this motion/movement:

The frame can be travelling in a straight line, but be speeding/pacing up or slowing down.
The frame can be travelling along a curved path at a steady speed/pace.
The frame can be travelling along a curved path and also speeding/pacing up or slowing down.

Example of non-inertial frame of reference: if a car is moving with a particular acceleration it's said to be during a non-inertial frame of reference.

NCERT Physics Notes:

What is the difference between Inertial and Non-inertial frame of reference?

Inertial frame of reference	Non inertial frame of reference
The body pass with a constant velocity (can be zero).	The body passes with varying velocity.
Newton’s laws are complied.	Newton’s law is not complied.
The body does not facilitate/accelerate	The body undergoes facilitate/accelerate
In this frame, the force acting on the body is real speed/ force.	The acceleration of the frame gives rise to a pseudo speed/force.
Example: a rocket in inter-galactic space (gravity free space between galaxies) with its entire engine shut.	Example: if a just starts its motion from rest, then during the time of acceleration the car are going to be during a non-inertial frame of reference.

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Frequently Asked Question (FAQs)

1. What is meant by velocity?

Velocity may be a vector quantity which has both magnitude and direction whereas speed may be a scalar quantity which has only the magnitude. to place this in simple terms, velocity is the speed at which an object moves during a particular direction, like the speed of a motorcycle traveling north on a serious freeway, or the speed a rocket moves because it launches into space. The displacement of an object during a specific amount of your time means velocity which velocity has units of distance divided by time, like miles per hour or kilometers per hour or meters per second. The dimension of velocity represented by L T-1. The change in position divided by the time of travel is claimed to be average velocity.

v = d / t

Where, v = velocity

t = time taken by the thing.

2. Why does velocity even matter?

Velocity measures the motion of an object that starts passing from one place and starts heading towards another place. Once we put it another way, you employ measures of velocity to make a decision how quickly you or any object in motion will reach a destination from a given location.

Measures of velocity provide you to make timetables for travel and plan your schedule accordingly. For eg., if a train leaves ABC Station in Bangalore at 6 p.m. and you allow the speed at which the train is moving the opposite station, you'll predict when it'll reach the destination station.

3. Discuss earth as a frame of reference.

Earth may be a non-inertial coordinate system.

Explanation: By now, we are conscious of the very fact that a coordinate system frame of reference may be a reference frame where an object is either moving with a continuing velocity or at rest. In such a frame, there's no net force working on an object as a result the thing isn't accelerated. However, during a non-inertial coordinate system, the motion of an object is acted upon by fictitious forces and other forces thanks to external action.

Earth rotating about its own axis causes an external force that leads to the acceleration of the motion of objects. This means that the world isn't an inertial coordinate system.

4. What is Relative motion?

Relative motion is simply a sort of saying that sometimes various people will say distinctive things about the motion of an equivalent object. This is often not because one is wrong, but because they're using distinctive frames of reference.

The best thanks to understanding this is often possible to see in some cases.

In the entire subsequent instance, neglect air resistance.

5. What is Relative velocity?

Relative velocity, within the above cases, everyone was determining the speed of the oranges relative to which is compared to the frame of reference that you simply are standing in. Relative to an individual standing on the footpath, the orange could also be moving at 8 m/s, while for an individual within the frame of reference of the truck, the orange is moving at 12 m/s relative to the person.