Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
Fictitious force (also known as pseudo force) is an apparent force that appears to act on an object but actually arises from the acceleration of the reference frame itself.
Related terms
Inertial Frame: An inertial frame is a reference frame in which Newton's laws of motion hold true without the need for fictitious forces.
Centrifugal force is a fictitious force that appears to push objects away from the center of rotation in a rotating reference frame.
Coriolis Force: Coriolis force is another fictitious force that acts on moving objects in rotating reference frames and causes them to deviate from straight paths.