Pseudo Force

Newton’s Laws 6
of Motion
a0
θ

m
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Frame of Reference
 Reference Frame or Frame of Reference
Region / Zone from where observations are taken for
“Motion parameters of a body”

Motion parameters like

1. Displacement
2. Velocity
3. Time
4. Acceleration
 Inertial frame of reference
Any frame/observer which is either stationary or moving with uniform velocity

m
 v

Consider a passenger inside a car moving with CONSTANT

VELOCITY & a person standing on the ground is observing the car.

As we know ground is frame of reference.

➔ Hence the Person standing on the ground is also Inertial Frame
of reference. Now as the car is moving with constant velocity.
➔ So car is Inertial Frame of reference.
➔ the driver of the car is observing from Inertial Frame of
reference.
 Non-Inertial frame of reference
Any frame/observer which is accelerating with respect to an inertial frame
is called non-inertial frame

a
θ

m
 a

In this case, the car is Accelerating.

And a person standing on the ground is observing the car.

So, car is the NON-INERTIAL frame of reference. And so, the

person inside the car is observing from a NON-INERTIAL frame.

UNACCELERATED Observer ⇒ INERTIAL FRAME

ACCELERATED Observer ⇒ NON-INERTIAL FRAME
Pseudo Force
Uniform Velocity
m

m
Uniform Velocity
v m

➔ Let’s take a situation to understand the concept of pseudo force

➔ Now observe the block from car moving with uniform velocity
➔ From car, it will appear that block is moving backwards with uniform velocity
➔ As car is moving with uniform velocity, car is inertial frame
➔ So Newton’s laws are valid for inertial frame also
Acceleration
m or

m
Acceleration
a ma m
m (pseudo force)
or

➔ Let’s observe the block from accelerated car (non-inertial frame)

➔ From accelerated car, block will appear to accelerate in backward direction
➔ But there is no force in backward direction
➔ So, from non-inertial frame Newton’s laws are not valid
➔ To validate Newton’s laws from non-inertial frame we need to introduce concept
of pseudo force
 Pseudo Force
In order to apply Newton’s laws in non- inertial frame, we need to apply one extra force apart from
other real forces. This force we call Pseudo force

Magnitude

Pseudo force = Mass of body × Acceleration of non- inertial frame

Direction
Opposite to direction of acceleration of non- inertial frame.
 B

a
m
Illustration: i) Lift is accelerating upward:

Let’s find the tension in the string from non-inertial frame

a m
Illustration:
i) Lift is accelerating upward: ➔ Let’s find the tension in the string
from non-inertial frame
T +
➔ Lift is accelerating upwards so lift
m a is non-inertial frame
A ➔ Imagine an observer A inside lift
mg –
as observer is in accelerated
ma frame so we need to apply pseudo
Applying Newton’s 2nd law on block. force

T – mg – ma = m(0)

T – mg – ma = 0

T = mg + ma
i) Lift is accelerating upward:
T +

m a

mg –

Applying Newton’s 2nd law on block. B

T – mg = ma

T = mg + ma
➔ Consider an observer B on ground
(inertial frame)
➔ Let’s find tension in string from
inertial frame
➔ For observer B, acceleration of
block will be a upwards
 PSEUDO FORCE

Pseudo Force Problems

A pendulum is hanging from the ceiling of a car having an acceleration a0
with respect to the road. Find the angle made by the string with the
vertical.

a0
θ

m
 a0
ALTERNATIVE θ

m
Solution:
➔ We shall work from car frame.
➔ Observer A is in car.
–
T cosθ

+
T
+
θ θ ➔ For observer A, acceleration of mass = 0
a0 ➔ As car is accelerating, so it is non- inertial
ma0 T sinθ
m Frame, So Pseudo force ma0 will be leftwards
A
– mg

T cos θ – mg = m(0)
⇒ T cos θ = mg ….(1)
T sin θ – ma0 = m(0) ….(2)
⇒ T sin θ = ma0
Solution:

T cos θ = mg ….(1)
T sin θ = ma0 ….(2)

Dividing eqn. (2) with (1)

T sin θ ma0
⇒ =
T cos θ mg

a0
⇒ tan θ =
g
a0
θ= tan–1
g
A block of mass m is kept on weighing machine, which is placed in lift,
accelerating down with acceleration ‘a’. Find reading of weighing machine.

m
Weighing Machine
ALTERNATIVE

m
Weighing Machine
Solution:

As lift is accelerating, so lift is non- inertial N ma (pseudo)

frame a
Pseudo force will be ma, upward. Consider an +

observer in the lift.For observer, Acceleration of m

block = 0
– Weighing machine

Applying Newton’s 2nd law on block.

mg
N + ma – mg = m(0) = 0
⇒ N = mg – ma
Solution:

⇒ N = mg – ma
∴ Reading = N kg.
g
= mg – ma
kg.
g

Note: If acceleration of lift is g downwards (lift is falling freely), reading of

weighing machine will be zero. (as a = g) : Condition of weightlessness.
A box of mass m is placed on a wedge of mass ‘M’ on a smooth surface.
How much force F is required to be applied on wedge M so that during
motion mass m remains at rest relative to wedge.

A. (M + m)g cosθ
B. (M + m)g sinθ
C. (M + m)g tanθ
D. None of these F

M
θ
F

M
θ
Solution: macosθ

θ
–
➔ Consider observer on ma
wedge F θ +
➔ As wedge is accelerating, masinθ mgsinθ

wedge is non-inertial M mg θ
frame. So we need to apply mgcosθ
pseudo force.
➔ Pseudo force is ma Applying Newton’s 2nd law on block along incline
leftwards mgsinθ – macosθ = m(0) = 0 ⇒ mgsinθ = macosθ
➔ With the wedge frame,
block is at rest so ⇒ a = gtanθ
acceleration of block along
incline is zero
Solution:
a
Both wedge and block are moving together, so
block + wedge can be considered as system m

Mass of system =M+m

F
Acceleration of System = a M θ
Force on system = (M + m)a = (M + m)g tanθ
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