- #1
jdstokes
- 523
- 1
Einstein used the requirement of general covariance to motivate the field equations of general relativity.
Suppose I define [itex]T^{\mu\nu}[/itex] as the component of [itex]\mu[/itex]-momentum across a surface of constant [itex]\nu[/itex], relative to some coordinate system [itex]x^\mu[/itex]. If we change coordinates to [itex]x'^\mu = x'^\mu(x)[/itex], how do we know that the components of stress energy will look like
[itex]T'^{\mu\nu} = \frac{\partial x'^\mu}{\partial x^\alpha}\frac{\partial x'^\nu}{\partial x^\beta}T^{\alpha\beta}[/itex].
I ask this because I've been thinking about how the stress-energy would look in a coordinate system other than cartesian (e.g., spherical coordinates) and it occurred to me that it is not obvious that it will transform in the desired way.
Suppose I define [itex]T^{\mu\nu}[/itex] as the component of [itex]\mu[/itex]-momentum across a surface of constant [itex]\nu[/itex], relative to some coordinate system [itex]x^\mu[/itex]. If we change coordinates to [itex]x'^\mu = x'^\mu(x)[/itex], how do we know that the components of stress energy will look like
[itex]T'^{\mu\nu} = \frac{\partial x'^\mu}{\partial x^\alpha}\frac{\partial x'^\nu}{\partial x^\beta}T^{\alpha\beta}[/itex].
I ask this because I've been thinking about how the stress-energy would look in a coordinate system other than cartesian (e.g., spherical coordinates) and it occurred to me that it is not obvious that it will transform in the desired way.