Proper reference frame (flat spacetime)
Ok, imagine you are inside a big room and you are sitting on a chair. Now, let's say your friend is also inside the room and she is sitting on another chair. You two are sitting still and nothing is happening. This is like a flat spacetime.
But let's say someone else walks into the room and starts running around really fast. They might look like they are moving really quickly to you and your friend, but to that person running, they feel like they are just walking normally.
That's because their reference frame is different from yours and your friend's. Reference frame just means where you are and how you are moving in relation to other things.
In flat spacetime, it's important to choose the right reference frame to measure things properly. Kind of like standing in the right spot in a room to measure how tall someone is.
So, when scientists talk about a "proper reference frame," they mean they have chosen a specific spot and way of measuring things that is most accurate for the situation they are studying. It's like finding the perfect spot to measure someone's height - the measurement will be more accurate than if you were standing at a weird angle or using a wonky measuring tape.
But let's say someone else walks into the room and starts running around really fast. They might look like they are moving really quickly to you and your friend, but to that person running, they feel like they are just walking normally.
That's because their reference frame is different from yours and your friend's. Reference frame just means where you are and how you are moving in relation to other things.
In flat spacetime, it's important to choose the right reference frame to measure things properly. Kind of like standing in the right spot in a room to measure how tall someone is.
So, when scientists talk about a "proper reference frame," they mean they have chosen a specific spot and way of measuring things that is most accurate for the situation they are studying. It's like finding the perfect spot to measure someone's height - the measurement will be more accurate than if you were standing at a weird angle or using a wonky measuring tape.