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Viewing Correction to 'reference frames in newtonian physics'Distinguish a physical reference frame from a coordinate system
Correction text:Current idea: the coordinate system in which Newton's laws are valid is called an inertial reference frame. Recommended correction: a reference frame is the physical state of motion of the observer or spatial axes used to describe motion; a coordinate system is a numerical labeling scheme within a frame. In introductory Newtonian mechanics, an inertial frame is a frame in which a free particle moves with constant velocity and Newton's laws take their standard form without inertial-force terms. Suggested wording: An inertial reference frame is a frame in which a free particle, subject to zero net real force, moves with constant velocity. Cartesian, cylindrical, or other coordinates may be used within the same physical frame; the coordinate labels themselves do not determine whether the frame is inertial. DiscussionNo messages. Interact |