Contravariant Four-gradient ESN in Wikipedia appears wrong

In summary, the conversation discusses the contravariant form of the four-gradient in relativity. The person is self-studying and has noticed a potential error in the Wikipedia page. They believe that the first four lines of the equation should not have negative signs, while the last four lines appear to be correct. They provide their understanding of how the Einstein summation should work in this context.
  • #1
SpecialEd
2
0

Homework Statement


I am self studying relativity. In Wikipedia under the four-gradient section, the contravariant four-vector looks wrong from an Einstein summation notation point of view.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four-vector

Homework Equations



It states:

E
00-E11-E22-E33 = Eαα

The Attempt at a Solution


As it is it looks wrong to me. Is it wrong or is it NOT ESN or something else?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2
Welcome to PF!
I agree with you that it doesn't look right. For the contravariant form of the 4-gradient they have
upload_2016-10-11_22-11-0.png

I don't think there should be any negative signs in the first four lines. The last four lines look correct to me. So, I believe the Einstein summation works as follows $$\partial = E_\alpha \partial^\alpha = E_0 \partial ^0 + E_1 \partial ^1 +E_2 \partial ^2 + E_3 \partial ^3$$ where $$\partial^1 \equiv \frac{\partial}{\partial x_ {_1}} = -\frac{\partial}{\partial x^1}$$ etc.
 
  • Like
Likes SpecialEd
  • #3
TSny said:
Welcome to PF!
I agree with you that it doesn't look right. For the contravariant form of the 4-gradient they have
View attachment 107315
I don't think there should be any negative signs in the first four lines. The last four lines look correct to me. So, I believe the Einstein summation works as follows $$\partial = E_\alpha \partial^\alpha = E_0 \partial ^0 + E_1 \partial ^1 +E_2 \partial ^2 + E_3 \partial ^3$$ where $$\partial^1 \equiv \frac{\partial}{\partial x_ {_1}} = -\frac{\partial}{\partial x^1}$$ etc.

Thanks so much for your comment and help!
 

1. What is a contravariant four-gradient ESN?

A contravariant four-gradient ESN is a mathematical concept used in field theory and relativity to represent the change of a quantity in four-dimensional spacetime. It is a tensor quantity that describes the rate of change of a scalar field in the direction of a given coordinate system.

2. How is a contravariant four-gradient ESN different from a covariant four-gradient ESN?

The main difference between the two is the direction in which they measure changes. A contravariant four-gradient ESN measures changes in the direction of the coordinate system, while a covariant four-gradient ESN measures changes perpendicular to the coordinate system. They are related by the metric tensor and can be converted into each other.

3. What does ESN stand for in contravariant four-gradient ESN?

The acronym ESN stands for Einstein summation notation, which is a compact way of representing mathematical equations involving multiple indices. It is commonly used in field theory and relativity to simplify complex equations.

4. How is the contravariant four-gradient ESN used in physics?

The contravariant four-gradient ESN is used in many areas of physics, including field theory and relativity. It is used to describe the behavior of scalar fields, such as temperature or pressure, in four-dimensional spacetime. It is also used to calculate the energy-momentum tensor, which describes the distribution of energy and momentum in a given system.

5. Can the contravariant four-gradient ESN be applied to other fields besides physics?

Yes, the concept of a contravariant four-gradient ESN can be applied to other fields, such as mathematics and computer science. In mathematics, it can be used to calculate the derivative of a function in multiple dimensions. In computer science, it can be used to optimize algorithms and solve complex problems involving multiple variables.

Similar threads

  • Advanced Physics Homework Help
Replies
5
Views
2K
  • Advanced Physics Homework Help
Replies
13
Views
3K
  • Advanced Physics Homework Help
Replies
14
Views
3K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
10
Views
3K
  • Special and General Relativity
Replies
4
Views
4K
Replies
2
Views
2K
Replies
18
Views
5K
Replies
20
Views
4K
  • Calculus and Beyond Homework Help
Replies
1
Views
16K
  • General Math
Replies
1
Views
29K
Back
Top