Menu
Physics Lesson 3.2.1 - The meaning of reference point
Please provide a rating, it takes seconds and helps us to keep this resource free for all to use
Welcome to our Physics lesson on The meaning of reference point, this is the first lesson of our suite of physics lessons covering the topic of Position, Reference Point, you can find links to the other lessons within this tutorial and access additional physics learning resources below this lesson.
The meaning of reference point
Let's try to explain the concept of reference point by providing answers to the questions posed in the "Introduction" section.
1. The downloading bar seems unmoveable. At first sight, it seems the downloading process has stopped. You can check this by putting the cursor at the end of the orange bar, which shows the downloading progress. After a while, you can check whether the orange bar has moved on the right of the cursor or not. If yes, the downloading process is active. Therefore, the cursor acts as a reference point for you as it helps understanding whether the downloading progress bar is moving or not.
Look at the figure below:
2. The bright star is slightly on the left of pyramid in the first figure. After a while, it "shifts" on the right of the pyramid. In this way, the pyramid acts as a reference point, which helps us to understand whether the stars are in the same place as before or they "have moved".
Look at the figure:
3. In the figure below, the star in the wall helps us understand that the clock is working properly as the minute hand has moved in respect to the star. Therefore, it (the star) acts as a reference point.
In all the above examples, it was clearly outlined the necessity and importance of a reference point from which we start making any measurement or estimation in order to detect any change in object's location.
Thus, by definition, "A fixed point with respect to which a body changes its location is called Reference Point or Origin."
When dealing with calculations in Kinematics, reference point is usually the origin of the coordinate system, no matter whether the system is 1, 2 or 3 dimensional. Reference point (origin) is usually denoted by the number 0 or the letter O.
You have reach the end of Physics lesson 3.2.1 The meaning of reference point. There are 3 lessons in this physics tutorial covering Position, Reference Point, you can access all the lessons from this tutorial below.
More Position, Reference Point Lessons and Learning Resources
Whats next?
Enjoy the "The meaning of reference point" physics lesson? People who liked the "Position, Reference Point lesson found the following resources useful:
- Definition Feedback. Helps other - Leave a rating for this definition (see below)
- Kinematics Physics tutorial: Position, Reference Point. Read the Position, Reference Point physics tutorial and build your physics knowledge of Kinematics
- Kinematics Revision Notes: Position, Reference Point. Print the notes so you can revise the key points covered in the physics tutorial for Position, Reference Point
- Kinematics Practice Questions: Position, Reference Point. Test and improve your knowledge of Position, Reference Point with example questins and answers
- Check your calculations for Kinematics questions with our excellent Kinematics calculators which contain full equations and calculations clearly displayed line by line. See the Kinematics Calculators by iCalculator™ below.
- Continuing learning kinematics - read our next physics tutorial: Displacement and Distance in 1 Dimension
Help others Learning Physics just like you
Please provide a rating, it takes seconds and helps us to keep this resource free for all to use
We hope you found this Physics lesson "Position, Reference Point" useful. If you did it would be great if you could spare the time to rate this physics lesson (simply click on the number of stars that match your assessment of this physics learning aide) and/or share on social media, this helps us identify popular tutorials and calculators and expand our free learning resources to support our users around the world have free access to expand their knowledge of physics and other disciplines.