Fictitious force

Definition

A fictitious force, also known as a pseudo force, is an apparent force that acts on all masses whose motion is described using a non-inertial frame of reference. It arises because the non-inertial frame is accelerating or rotating relative to an inertial frame.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. A fictitious force does not arise from any physical interaction but from the acceleration of the reference frame itself.
2. In a rotating reference frame, examples of fictitious forces include the Coriolis force and centrifugal force.
3. The magnitude of a fictitious force is proportional to the mass of the object experiencing it and the acceleration of the non-inertial frame.
4. Fictitious forces are necessary for applying Newton's laws in non-inertial frames.
5. Understanding fictitious forces is crucial for analyzing systems in rotating frames, such as weather patterns affected by Earth's rotation.

Review Questions

• What causes a fictitious force to appear in a system?
• How does the Coriolis force relate to fictitious forces?
• What role do fictitious forces play in non-inertial frames when applying Newton's laws?

Related terms

Inertial Frame: A reference frame in which an object not acted upon by forces moves at a constant velocity.

Coriolis Force: A fictitious force experienced by objects moving within a rotating reference frame, acting perpendicular to the object's velocity and the axis of rotation.

Centrifugal Force: A fictitious force that appears to act outward on an object moving around a center, arising from the object's inertia.