Inertial Frame of Reference: Why Space Selects a Non-Inertial Frame

[mark_gg]

Why does one particular 'frame of reference' have fictitious forces (like inertia) whilst another one doesn't.

I understand the basics, but more interested in 'why' space seems to have magically chosen specific frame to be the 'non inertial frame'.

Could space be more absolute than we think it is?

Has any research been done in this problem, which is at odds with a truly relativistic space (although I'm not saying relativity is wrong)

Thank you.

 

[WannabeNewton]

Nature doesn't "magically" choose the inertial and non-inertial frames or the inertial and non-inertial trajectories; such things are determined entirely by the space-time geometry i.e. by gravity.

 

[stevendaryl]

Spacetime has properties--its geometry. The geometry of spacetime gives no preference to specific locations or times or directions or reference frames. But it does determine certain things:

(1) The invariant interval between two close-by events.
(2) Which spatial lines are "straight".
(3) Which spacetime paths are inertial.

In the usual treatment of Special Relativity and General Relativity, all of these features are derived from a geometric field called the metric tensor. The metric tensor doesn't determine a preferred state of rest, and it doesn't determine a preferred direction in space, but it does determine which paths are inertial and which lines are "straight".

In the geometric view of spacetime, a path being inertial is exactly analogous to a line being straight.

 

[Dale]

I understand the basics, but more interested in 'why' space seems to have magically chosen specific frame to be the 'non inertial frame'.

There is nothing magical about it. The reference frame is a matter of choice. If you choose a curved reference frame then you get non-zero Christoffel symbols.

As an analogy, if you have a blank piece of paper, no coordinates, you still have straight lines and curved lines. If you then base your coordinates off the curved lines you would have "coordinate acceleration" of straight lines.

Do you think it is magical that both straight and curved lines exist? Do you think it is magical that they can be distinguished from each other?

 

[sardar]

I can provide some insight into the concept of inertial frames of reference and why one particular frame may have fictitious forces while another does not.

Firstly, it is important to understand that an inertial frame of reference is a frame in which Newton's laws of motion hold true without any additional forces acting on the system. This means that an object in this frame will either remain at rest or continue to move at a constant velocity unless acted upon by an external force.

On the other hand, a non-inertial frame of reference is a frame in which additional forces, known as fictitious forces, are present and can affect the motion of objects. These forces are not real, but rather are a result of the acceleration or rotation of the frame itself.

Now, why does space seem to have chosen a specific frame to be the non-inertial frame? The answer lies in the nature of space itself. Space is not a static, absolute entity, but rather a dynamic and constantly changing medium. It is affected by the presence of massive objects, such as planets and stars, which can cause distortions and curvature in space-time. This curvature can result in the appearance of non-inertial frames of reference in certain regions of space.

Additionally, the concept of relativity also plays a role in this phenomenon. According to Einstein's theory of general relativity, the laws of physics should be the same in all inertial frames of reference. However, in non-inertial frames, the laws of physics may appear to be different due to the presence of fictitious forces. This is not a contradiction to relativity, but rather a consequence of the curvature of space-time.

To address your question about whether space could be more absolute than we think, it is important to note that the concept of absolute space has been disproven by the theory of relativity. Space and time are relative, meaning they are dependent on the observer's frame of reference. Therefore, there is no one absolute frame of reference in which all physical laws hold true.

In terms of research on this topic, there have been numerous studies and experiments conducted to understand the nature of inertial and non-inertial frames of reference. The theory of relativity has been extensively tested and confirmed through various experiments, providing strong evidence for its validity.

In conclusion, the idea of space selecting a non-inertial frame of reference is a result of the dynamic and relativistic nature of space itself. It