A frame of reference or a reference frame includes a theoretical coordinate system and a set of physical reference points that uniquely connects the coordinate system and determines the measurements (such as position and velocity of an object) within that frame.
Here are some examples of a frame of reference in physics:
- #1 Frame of reference of a train
- #2 Frame of reference of an airplane
- #3 Frame of reference of a rocket
- #4 Frame of reference of an athlete
- #5 Frame of reference of a man
- #6 Frame of reference of a skateboarder
- #7 Frame of reference of a cable car
- #8 Frame of reference of a rickshaw
- #9 Frame of reference of a rotating carousel
- #10 Frame of reference of a ship
- #11 Frame of reference of a car
- #12 Frame of reference of an escalator
- #13 Frame of reference of a bus
- #14 Frame of reference of a bicycle
- #15 Frame of reference of an earth
Let’s one by one discuss the above examples in detail.
#1 Frame of reference of a train
Consider that you’re sitting inside a train, and a train arrives and stops on the platform. What you’ll notice (while sitting inside a train) is, the passengers appear to be moving. It is because your frame of reference is a train.
#2 Frame of reference of an airplane
If you look outside from an airplane (which is already at some height above the ground), then you’ll see the people standing on the ground moving because your frame of reference is an airplane.
#3 Frame of reference of a rocket
As soon as a rocket takes off from the earth and reaches up to some height, imagine if you’re sitting inside it, then you’ll see that earth appears to be moving. Because while looking from a rocket, your frame of reference is a rocket.
#4 Frame of reference of an athlete
Suppose that you’re running in the race as an athlete. Now, while running in the race, you’ll see that the audience standing aside the road appears to be moving. Also, if someone looks at you from an audience, according to him, you’re moving. This thing happens because both (you and the audience) have a different frame of reference.
#5 Frame of reference of a man
One man is sitting on a bench in the garden, and he looks at one lady passing from the front of him. The man will see that the lady is moving forward because his frame of reference is a bench. Similarly, that lady will see the man moving backward because her frame of reference is the road.
#6 Frame of reference of a skateboarder
If you ride a skateboard on the road in front of people, then you’ll notice that the people are moving backward. It is because, while you are riding a skateboard, your frame of reference is a skateboard.
#7 Frame of reference of a cable car
Imagine you are sitting inside a cable car (which is moving through the mountain), and when you look outside a cable car, at that time, you notice one person standing on the hill.
While looking from a cable car, you’ll see the person moving backward because your frame of reference is a cable car. Similarly, the person will see a cable car moving forward as per his frame of reference.
#8 Frame of reference of a rickshaw
A rickshaw is running on the road, and the driver sees the other vehicles moving forward from inside a rickshaw. The reason why this happens is because of the frame of reference. (i.e., while looking from a rickshaw, the reference frame is a rickshaw)
#9 Frame of reference of a rotating carousel
You may have noticed that the other objects appear to be moving when you look outside from a rotating carousel. The reason behind this is, your frame of reference is a carousel, so you’ll see the other things moving.
#10 Frame of reference of a ship
Imagine you’re sitting inside one ship, and that ship arrives at the port (where some people are standing). Now when you look outside a ship, you’ll see that the people standing over there seem to be moving because your frame of reference is the ship. Similarly, the people standing at the port will see you moving according to their frame of reference.
#11 Frame of reference of a car
While driving a car, you might have noticed a person walking on the road going backward. The reason why a person appears to be moving is because of the frame of reference. (i.e., while driving a car, your frame of reference is a car)
#12 Frame of reference of an escalator
In a shopping mall, when you’re standing on an escalator, at that time, you’ll notice the other people moving on the floor. Because while standing on an escalator, the frame of reference is an escalator.
Similarly, if someone looks at you from the floor, then for that person, you’re moving. Because while standing on the floor, the frame of reference is the floor.
#13 Frame of reference of a bus
Consider that one bus is running on the road, and some passengers sitting inside it see one person standing on the road. While looking from the bus, the passengers see a person moving backward because the frame of reference is a bus. Similarly, while looking from the road, a person sees a bus coming forward because the frame of reference is a bus.
#14 Frame of reference of a bicycle
Suppose that you’re riding a bicycle in the park and one person is walking aside from you. From a cycle, you’ll see that the person is moving backward because your frame of reference is a bicycle. Also, that person will see you moving forward because his frame of reference is the land.
#15 Frame of reference of an earth
When we look at the moon from earth, our frame of reference is earth, and so the moon appears to be moving.
Similarly, when you look at earth from the moon, your frame of reference is the moon, so the planet earth appears to be moving.
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