Math 2.0

Mechanics of particles and systems Kinematics Concept

Fictitious force

Builds on Inertial frame of referenceRotating reference frameNewton's laws of motion

Summary

A fictitious force, or inertial force, is an apparent force in a frame of reference that is not inertial. It must be added to the real forces to make Newton's second law hold in that frame. It is proportional to the mass of the body, and no other body exerts it. In a frame moving without rotation it is −m-m times the acceleration of the frame. In a rotating frame it consists of the Coriolis, centrifugal and Euler forces. Fictitious forces make computations in Earth-bound and other natural frames convenient.

Reading path

To understand this page from the ground up, read these 25 pages in order. The foundations come first.

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Cross product, concept, no evidence levelCross productconceptDerivative, concept, no evidence levelDerivativeconceptEuclidean space, object, no evidence levelEuclidean spaceobjectEuclidean vector, concept, no evidence levelEuclidean vectorconceptIdentity matrix, object, no evidence levelIdentity matrixobjectMatrix, definition, no evidence levelMatrixdefinitionOrdinary differential equation, concept, no evidence levelOrdinary differential…conceptVector space, definition, no evidence levelVector spacedefinitionVelocity, concept, no evidence levelVelocityconceptClassical mechanics, concept, no evidence levelClassical mechanicsconceptSquare matrix, definition, no evidence levelSquare matrixdefinitionTranspose, definition, no evidence levelTransposedefinitionLinear map, definition, no evidence levelLinear mapdefinitionMomentum, concept, no evidence levelMomentumconceptInertial frame of reference, concept, no evidence levelInertial frame of ref…conceptOrthogonal matrix, definition, no evidence levelOrthogonal matrixdefinitionMultilinear map, definition, no evidence levelMultilinear mapdefinitionNewton's laws of motion, statement, no evidence levelNewton's laws of moti…statementOrthogonal group, object, no evidence levelOrthogonal groupobjectAlternating multilinear map, definition, no evidence levelAlternating multiline…definitionDeterminant, definition, no evidence levelDeterminantdefinitionSpecial orthogonal group, object, no evidence levelSpecial orthogonal gr…objectAngular velocity, concept, no evidence levelAngular velocityconceptRotating reference frame, concept, no evidence levelRotating reference fr…conceptFictitious force, concept, no evidence levelFictitious forceconcept
Each page uses the pages above it. The colour of the bar on a box shows how strong the evidence is, and the box also gives it as text. The list has the same pages.
  • no evidence level
  1. Cross product concept
  2. Derivative concept
  3. Euclidean space object
  4. Euclidean vector concept
  5. Identity matrix object
  6. Matrix definition
  7. Ordinary differential equation concept
  8. Vector space definition
  9. Velocity concept
  10. Classical mechanics concept
  11. Square matrix definition
  12. Transpose definition
  13. Linear map definition
  14. Momentum concept
  15. Inertial frame of reference concept
  16. Orthogonal matrix definition
  17. Multilinear map definition
  18. Newton's laws of motion statement
  19. Orthogonal group object
  20. Alternating multilinear map definition
  21. Determinant definition
  22. Special orthogonal group object
  23. Angular velocity concept
  24. Rotating reference frame concept
  25. Fictitious force concept

Where this leads

22 pages build on this one.

Further reading

  1. Web https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fictitious_force
About this page
TagZN2Z2HJY9Z
URIm2://ZN2Z2HJY9Z
Kindconcept
WritingW0 stub
MSC70A05, 70B05
UsesInertial frame of reference, Rotating reference frame, Newton's laws of motion
Same as
Changed3 November 2026

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