MISN-0-473

TENSOR ANALYSIS
TENSOR ANALYSIS by C. P. Frahm

Relativity
Project PHYSNET Physics Bldg. Michigan State University East Lansing, MI

1. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 2. Procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Acknowledgments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

ID Sheet: MISN-0-473 THIS IS A DEVELOPMENTAL-STAGE PUBLICATION OF PROJECT PHYSNET The goal of our project is to assist a network of educators and scientists in transferring physics from one person to another. We support manuscript processing and distribution, along with communication and information systems. We also work with employers to identify basic scientic skills as well as physics topics that are needed in science and technology. A number of our publications are aimed at assisting users in acquiring such skills. Our publications are designed: (i) to be updated quickly in response to eld tests and new scientic developments; (ii) to be used in both classroom and professional settings; (iii) to show the prerequisite dependencies existing among the various chunks of physics knowledge and skill, as a guide both to mental organization and to use of the materials; and (iv) to be adapted quickly to specic user needs ranging from single-skill instruction to complete custom textbooks. New authors, reviewers and eld testers are welcome. PROJECT STAFF Andrew Schnepp Eugene Kales Peter Signell Webmaster Graphics Project Director

Title: Tensor Analysis Author: C. P. Frahm, Dept. of Physics, Illinois State Univ. Version: 2/1/2000 Length: 1 hr; 8 pages Input Skills: 1. Unknown: assume (MISN-0-472). Output Skills (Knowledge): K1. Dene: (a) mixed components of a general tensor; (b) metric of a general spacetime; (c) Christoel symbols (of the 2nd kind); (d) absolute derivative of a vector; (e) covariant derivative of a tensor; (f) Riemann curvature tensor; (g) Gaussian coordinates; (h) geodesic coordinates (i) Fermi coordinates. K2. Write down the geodesic equation and the geodesic deviation equation. ... K3. Given that x are spacetime coordinates, T... is a general tensor, g is the metric, ds is the invariant interval and are the Christoel symbols of the second kind, identify and prove which of the following are general tensors: (a) x ; (b) x ; (c) dx ; (d) ... ... g ; (e) T... ; (f) dx /ds; (g) dT... /ds; (h) ; (i) DA /ds, ... A =vector (no proof) (j) dT..., /ds (no proof) Output Skills (Problem Solving): S1. Solve problems of the types given in the modules Procedures section. External Resources (Required): 1. W. Rindler, Essential Relativity, van Nostrand (1977). Evaluation: Stage B0

ADVISORY COMMITTEE D. Alan Bromley E. Leonard Jossem A. A. Strassenburg Yale University The Ohio State University S. U. N. Y., Stony Brook

Views expressed in a module are those of the module author(s) and are not necessarily those of other project participants. c 2001, Peter Signell for Project PHYSNET, Physics-Astronomy Bldg., Mich. State Univ., E. Lansing, MI 48824; (517) 355-3784. For our liberal use policies see: http://www.physnet.org/home/modules/license.html.

MISN-0-473

MISN-0-473

TENSOR ANALYSIS by C. P. Frahm 1. Introduction

Although a very qualitative understanding of General Relativity may be had without the use of tensors, an in-depth quantitative understanding makes this use mandatory. There are at least two reasons for this. First, the requirement that the laws of physics take the same form in all space time coordinate systems is most easily satised by using tensor equations; and, second, the use of tensor notation greatly reduces the number and complexity of equations that need to be written down (just as the use of vector notation reduces the number of equations - usually from three to one - and makes them more highly compact). It is thus necessary to acquire at least a rudimentary knowledge of general tensor analysis. That is the purpose of this unit.

(Optional) Read 13.4 of Misner, Thorne and Wheeler to see how the geodesic equation arises from extremizing the proper time along the world-line between two events. Exercise - the geodesic equation can be written in the form ds dx d2 x + =0 2 d d d where is any real parameter which is continuous and monotonic along the curve. Use this expression to show that d d where (dS)2 = g dx dx This Exercise shows that (dS/d)2 is a constant and hence the sign of (dS)2 is constant along the curve. Consequently, geodesics divide naturally into three types: 1) timelike - along which (dS)2 > 0 2) null - along which (dS)2 = 0 3) spacelike - along which (dS)2 < 0 3. Exercise Determine the transformation laws for the quantities a - h in Output Skill K3. Some of these are discussed in section 8.1 of Rindler. The others you will have to determine on your own. The quantities in i and j are tensors, but the proofs are very tedious and not required for this unit. Exercise As a special case of j show that the covariant derivative (or gradient) of a scalar is a rst rank tensor (or vector). Exercise Given that V are the covariant components of a vector, show that the curl V V is a 2nd rank tensor although V and V are not separately tensors (see item e of Output Skill K3). Hint: Consider the quantity V S V S Exercise Show that the quantity A + A + A
5 6

dS d

=0

2. Procedures
1. Read section 8.1 of Rindler. Write down denitions of the quantities listed in Output Skill K1. Comments: 1) Equation 8.13 of Rindler should read = = 1 g ( g + g g ) 2

2) The covariant derivation of an arbitrary tensor is dened by:

... ... ... ... T..., = T... + ( T... + . . .) ( T... + . . .)

The rst parenthesis contains one term for each contravariant index while the second parenthesis contains one term for each covariant index. 2. The geodesic equation and geodesic deviation equations are given by Rindlers equations 8.15 and 8.22 respectively.

MISN-0-473

MISN-0-473 Hint: Start with the denition of the metric (dS)2 = g dx dx which along any world-line can be written g dx dx =1 dS dS

is a 3rd rank tensor if A is a 2nd rank antisymmetric tensor. Hint: Consider the sum AS + AS + AS 4. Exercise - Prove the following properties of covariant derivatives 1) The covariant derivative of a linear combination of tensors (with constant coecients) is the same linear combination of the covariant derivatives. 2) The covariant derivative of a product of tensors obeys Leibniz rule. Note: Leibniz rule for functions is d df dg (f g) = g+f dx dx dx 3) The covariant derivative of a contracted tensor is the contraction of the covariant derivative. Exercise Let be pseudo-Euclidian coordinates in a LIF so that the equation of a straight line is given by d2 =0 dS 2 and the proper time between two nearby events is given by (dS)2 = d d where is the Minkowski metric (1, 1, 1, 1). By transforming to arbitrary coordinates, show that in the new coordinates, the metric is given by g = x x and the Christoel symbols of the second kind are given by = x 2 x x

Now dierentiate one time with respect to S and rearrange. Comment: The last Exercise shows that the (general) 4 - velocity and (general) 4 - acceleration of any particle are always space-time orthogonal. Work Exercises 8.1 and 8.3 on p. 269 of Rindler.

Acknowledgments
The author would like to thank Illinois State University for support in the construction of this lesson. Preparation of this module was supported in part by the National Science Foundation, Division of Science Education Development and Research, through Grant #SED 74-20088 to Michigan State University.

Exercise Show that along any world-line x = x () geodesic or not, where S is the proper time along the world-line, that g dx D2 x =0 dS dS 2