We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.
We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 March 2014
Mechanics is a branch of science and technology where we deal with various kinds of motions of bodies. Based on the observations for the motions of bodies, Newton put forth three laws, often called the Newton's laws of motion. In the present chapter, we shall discuss about them. While discussing the Newton's laws of motion, we shall assume that the atmosphere around us is not imposing any force on the moving bodies. That is, we shall assume that the atmosphere is not present. For expressing the motion, we require some reference frame and a coordinate system.
Inertial reference frame
For describing motion of a body, we require a reference frame. Newton considered an absolute reference frame and a universal time. For an absolute reference frame, its origin as well as its axes are absolutely fixed. Distances (displacements) of bodies are measured with reference to this reference frame.
The reference frame in which Newton's laws of motion are valid is known as an inertial reference frame. In fact such a reference frame does not exist, as no material body is at absolute rest and therefore we cannot have an absolute reference frame. Even a reference frame attached to the earth is not an absolute one, as the earth revolves around the sun, as well as it spins about its own axis. Further, sun also moves in our galaxy, the Milky Way. In fact, no body in the universe is at the absolute rest.
To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure [email protected] is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.
Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.
Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.
To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.
To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.
