# Frames of Reference

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frames-of-reference/273975>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 10, 2004, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frames-of-reference/273975 "2004-11-10T04:00:36Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\
**Post date:** [November 10, 2004, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frames-of-reference/273975/1 "2004-11-10T04:00:36Z")

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I recall my physics teacher (of years past) stating you cannot accelerate a frame of reference, IIRC. Please help me refresh my memory as to what he meant by this and/or in what context he may have “couched” such a statement. Let’s say I’m on an accelerating passenger train, and I throw a ball forward…isn’t the ball’s speed (although changing) still relative to either the train or the ground at any one instance?

What is it I’m forgetting, misapplying, or misunderstanding? Thanks!

- Jinx

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**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\
**Post date:** [November 10, 2004, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frames-of-reference/273975/2 "2004-11-10T05:38:35Z")

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I’m not sure what he meant by that… The closest I can guess is that what he said, or meant to say, is that you cannot apply Newton’s laws as-is in an accelerating reference frame. If you’re working in an accelerated frame, then you have to introduce so-called fictitious forces, that is to say forces which are not exerted by anything, in order to make everything work.

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**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\
**Post date:** [November 10, 2004, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frames-of-reference/273975/3 "2004-11-10T16:28:54Z")

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I don’t get it either, but here’s a piece of a Stewed Mulligan song about Albert Einstein:

"Had a frame of reference,  
Laid it on a fence.  
Showed it relativity,  
Ain’t seen the damn thing since.

(chorus)  
Albert, dance around.  
Albert, be profound.  
Albert, let your hair stick out,  
And your socks fall down."