inertial force

British  

noun

1. an imaginary force which an accelerated observer postulates so that he can use the equations appropriate to an inertial observer See also Coriolis force

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inertial force Scientific  

/ ĭ-nûr′shəl /

1. An apparent force that appears to affect bodies within a non-inertial frame, but is absent from the point of view of an inertial frame. Centrifugal forces and Coriolis forces, both observed in rotating systems, are inertial forces. Inertial forces are proportional to the body's mass.

2. See also General Relativity

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Example Sentences

Despite the elaborate protocols designed to correct mistakes and reverse unjust verdicts, there exists a powerful inertial force that ratifies past judgments even when they are manifestly flawed.

From Slate • Feb. 7, 2017

By inertial force, the sinker glided forward from my upraised left hand.

From Time Magazine Archive

The gravitating force between all molecules; the law of continuity; the inertial force of matter; the sublime facts of organic co-ordination and adaptation,--all these are recognized, analyzed, recorded, taught.

From Bits about Home Matters by Jackson, Helen Hunt