Is Newton's First Law Of Motion Relevant For Each Frame Of Reference?

Today's blog is about Newton's first law of motion which has always been an interesting yet controversial topic among students. The concept of different forces acting on a static or moving object has been making students curious since long. If you have ever joined an online physics tuition, you must have discussed it with your teacher or have seen other students doing so. So, let's see what it exactly is and how relevant it is for different frames of reference.

What Does The Law State?

According to Newton's first law of motion, "every object will remain at rest or in uniform motion in a straight line unless compelled to change its state by the action of an external force." This statement is used to define inertia. In simple words, no object changes its velocity until an external force is applied. This velocity might be zero for static objects and constant for dynamic ones.

Is It Valid In Different Frames?

We can understand this with a few actions. There are hand grips available in buses and trains hanging from its ceiling. If you notice, you will find them moving throughout the journey. Though its weight and tension in its strap are equal and acting opposite to each other and it should remain at rest, it doesn't happen. Why? It is because the train or bus is not moving at a uniform velocity. So, it is evident that the law doesn't apply to every framework.

If you consider the earth to be a framework, the law is applicable as it moves at a constant velocity. Similarly, for a bus moving at a constant velocity (which is practically impossible), the law is valid. 

In A Nutshell

Considering the above (and other such actions, it can be said that a uniformly moving framework is a valid frame of reference while one moving at a non-uniform velocity is an invalid one. These are respectively called inertial and non-inertial frames of reference. For any further doubt on this, you can simply google 'physics tuition near me' and discuss it with your online physics teacher.

Covid-19 & Online Classes: How Relevant Do They Look To Each Other?

Currently, we are surviving the Covid-19 pandemic; schools and tuitions are still closed as the pandemic is continuously growing in several parts of the world. Coming to India, the reports for top cities in the country are not very satisfactory. Under such circumstances, it is the Internet that has helped avoid disruptions in several areas that wouldn't have been possible either. Everything is available online; students can get enrolled in courses they want and learn things at home.

Although the demand for online classes has witnessed a dramatic surge in the past few months, the concept was always a progressive one considering the following aspects:

• Online classes provide better exposure to things with top-notch tools and resources available to support students in understanding and learning concepts in detail. Students get access to the most updated study material which is somehow missing in schools as they are bound to follow the syllabus set by authorities. Also, offline study material can only be updated annually.

• Online classes allow students to decide whether they want to study alone or with a group. There are individual and group classes to choose from. They can also choose the subject they want to study. For instance, if you are a student who wants to learn physics online, you can search for a physics online tutor and start studying it without stepping out of your home. 

• In offline classes, students get limited time to clear their doubts as there are several students and it is difficult for the teacher to focus on every student. With online classes, that's not the case. There are several options to post queries and get them resolved. Also, there are dedicated doubt-clearance sessions to help students.

Online classes offer better flexibility and convenience to students. In fact, the only means for students to learn things in this situation is technology. Classes are interactive and implement more innovative ways of teaching. Students can watch videos to understand things better and discuss their doubts with their teacher online. Looking at the Coronavirus spread, they are relevant too.