Question

You actually moved the pencil point along a path that was both straight and curved at the same time! This is possible because motion is measured relative to a frame of reference. In this investigation, there are two different frames of reference; one fixed and the other rotating. When the pencil-point motion was observed relative to the fixed card (A) and its cut-edge, its path was ________.

a) Straight
b) Curved
c) Zigzag
d) Spiral

Answer 1

Observed from a fixed frame of reference (Frame A), the path of the pencil point appears straight, while from a rotating frame, it would appear curved due to the influence of the rotating platform and forces like the Coriolis force.

Step-by-step explanation:

When considering motion within different frames of reference, it's crucial to distinguish the path observed from the fixed frame compared to the rotating frame. In the context of the student's investigation, when the motion of the pencil point is observed relative to a fixed card (Frame A), the path of the pencil point appears straight. This occurs because the fixed card represents a non-rotating or inertial frame of reference, in which the motion is not influenced by the rotation. However, from the rotating frame of reference (a merry-go-round or any other rotating platform), the same motion would appear curved due to the influence of rotational movement and fictitious forces like the Coriolis force, which only appear in non-inertial (rotating) frames of reference.