Invariant Definition and 387 Threads

Given a basic Lagrangian, how would I determine invariant quantities? My hunch says it would be quantities that do not depend on position or time? Saying that, perhaps using the Lagrange equation to solve for equations of motion and along the way whatever terms disappear would be my invariant...

While reading Special Theory of Relativity from Feynman Lectures, I fell into the confusion about invariant speed of light. What I'm asking for is an explanation about this. No matter whether physical explanation or mathematical. So my question is Why the speed of light is same for a person...

[SIZE="4"]Definition/Summary Poincare's integral invariant is the most fundamental invariant in Hamiltonian Dynamics. For any phase space set, the sum of the areas of all of its orthogonal projections onto all the non-intersection canonically conjugate planes is invariant under Hamiltonian...

Hey PF! I am trying to understand what is meant when we say a vector is invariant, which I believe is independent of a coordinate system. I have already read a PF post here: https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=651863. I'm looking at DH's post, and this makes a lot of sense...

I am having one question... If we know the form of the effective Lagrangian, let's say the form: L= g (\bar{\psi}_{e} \gamma^{\mu} P_{L} \psi_{\nu})(\bar{\psi}_{p} \gamma_{\mu} P_{L} \psi_{n}) How can someone calculate the spin averaged invariant matrix \large M? I mean I can do the...

I have a short question which I have been discussing with a fellow student and a professor. The question (which is not a homework question!), is as follows: If you shift all the energies E_i \to E_i + E_0 (thus also shifting the mean energy U \to U + E_0), does the entropy of the system remain...

Hi All, This is a question on ergodic theory - not quite analysis, but as close as you can get to it, so I decided to post it here. Suppose I have a compact metric space $X$, with $([0,1], B, \mu)$ a probability space, with $B$ a (Borel) sigma algebra, and $\mu$ the probability measure...

I really confused, I found in a book that the following system, y[n]= x[n+1]-x[n], is not causal! But from the definition of causality that the output y[n0] depends only on the input samples x[n] for n<=n0,,, So I think that this system is causal... If you agree with me please tell me that...

Hi folks -- does anyone know of a proof that particle (quanta) number in QFT is / is not Lorentz invariant? I'd be happy to hear of it -- so thanks!

I remember hearing this, but not sure if it's true.

[FONT=tahoma]Let $\varrho :\mathbb{Z}\rightarrow GL_3(\mathbb{R})$ be the representation given by $\varrho (n)=A^n$ where A=$\begin{pmatrix} 2 & 5 & -1 \\ 2 & \frac{5}{2} & \frac{11}{2} \\ 6 & \frac{-2}{2} & \frac{3}{2} \\ \end{pmatrix}$ [FONT=tahoma]Does ρ have any 1-dimensional invariant...

When we way that \frac{d^3p}{p_0}=\frac{d^3p}{\sqrt{m^2+\vec{p}^2}} is the invariant volume element, is that with respect to all Lorentz transformations or just proper orthochronous Lorentz transformations?

[solved] show all invariant subspaces are of the form i don't even know how to begin (Angry) C_x is a subspace spanned by x that belongs to V C_x = {x, L(x), L^2(x),...} edit: SOLVED

Homework Statement Let A and B be 4-vectors. Show that the dot product of A and B is Lorentz invariant. The Attempt at a Solution Should I be trying to show that A.B=\gamma(A.B)? Thanks

Context: T : X \rightarrow X is a measure preserving ergodic transformation of a probability measure space X. Let V_n = \{ g | g \circ T^n = g \} and E = span [ \{g | g \circ T = \lambda g, for some \lambda \} ] be the span of the eigenfunctions of the induced operator T : L^2 \rightarrow...

Typically a symmetry is taken to be something that leaves the action invariant. However, on a classical level, isn't that asking way too much? To match what we conceptually mean by symmetry, we only need something that maps solutions to solutions, so something which leaves the action invariant...

I am a bit confused about something! Exactly under what kind of transformations are scalars invariant in the domain of classical mechanics? The fact which is disturbing me is, say we have a moving body of certain kinetic energy in a certain inertial frame of ref, and then we choose to.observe...

Hello, Is Lagrangian invariant? I am in a conversation, where one is saying that: "Shifting the coordinate system changes the value of the potential energy with respect to the same reference level, that's why the Lagrangian changes" While the other: "Shifting the coordinate...

In special relativity we have the invariant spacetime interval ds2 = dx2 - c2dt2. If we think about classical (non-relativistic) space and time as one spacetime in which the transformation between reference frames is given by the Galilean transformation, is there a corresponding spacetime...

How do I see that when my hamiltonian is translation invariant i.e. H = H(r-r') it means that it is diagonal in the momentum basis? I can see it intuitively but not mathematically.

In another current thread on the possible invariance of pressure, I mentioned: What is the current consensus on how temperature transforms in relativity? Here is another simple thought experiment. Consider two very long rectangular objects A and B, that are moving relative to each other...

HI : Consider a cylinder of length L and volume V that contains one mole of an ideal gas. The familiar ideal gas law states that: PV = RT Now, if the cylinder were to move with velocity v parallel to the length direction, special relativity requires the...

Hi everyone, :) Here's a question with my answer. I would be really grateful if somebody could confirm whether my answer is correct. :) Problem: Prove that the orthogonal compliment \(U^\perp\) to an invariant subspace \(U\) with respect to a Hermitian transformation is itself invariant...

The invariant mass of special relativity: m_0{^2} = E^2 – p^2 There doesn't seem to be any quantity with units of mass that is invariant in general relativity. Invariant mass loses significance, as other than an approximation where space-time is sufficient flat. But at the same time, mass is...

Homework Statement (a) Consider a system with one degree of freedom and Hamiltonian H = H (q,p) and a new pair of coordinates Q and P defined so that q = \sqrt{2P} \sin Q and p = \sqrt{2P} \cos Q. Prove that if \frac{\partial H}{\partial q} = - \dot{p} and \frac{\partial H}{\partial p} =...

Hi guys, I couldn't fit it all into the title, so here's what I'm trying to do. Basically, I have a unitary representation V. There is a subspace of this, W, which is invariant if I act on it with any map D(g). How do I prove that the orthogonal subspace W^{\bot} is also an invariant subspace...

From wikipedia I read that every linear map from T:V->V, where V is finite dimensional and dim(V) > 1 has an eigenvector. What is the proof ?

If two matrices similar to one another are diagonalizable, then certainly this is the case, since the algebraic multiplicity of any eigenvalue they share must be equal (since they are similar), and since they are diagonalizable, those algebraic multiplicities must equal the geometric...

What's the definition of invariant pT in a 2->2 process? I know how to calculate the invariant mass in this case, but I am not sure about pT.

Homework Statement I must show that the equation ##\frac{\partial E}{\partial t}=t\nabla \times E## is invariant under time translations and I must also find its symmetries if it has any. Where E is a function of time and position.Homework Equations Already given. The Attempt at a Solution I...

\partialμ\phi\partialμ\phi and \partialμ\partialμ\phi with \phi(x) a scalar field

Homework Statement When we raise and lower indices of vectors and tensors (in representations of any groups) we always use tensors which are invariant under the corresponding transformations, e.g. we use the Minkoski metric in representations of the Lorentz group...

Ok, this should be an easy one but it's driving me nuts. When we take the Lorentz transformations and apply them to x2-c2t2 we get the exact same expression in another frame. I can do this math easily by letting c=1 and have seen others do it by letting c=1 but I have never seen anyone actually...

Could anyone explain why these are invariant under U(1) X SU(2)? H^{dagger}H (H^{dagger}H)^{2} What is the condition for invariance under U(1) and similarly, under SU(2)? Unfortunately, I am not familiar with tensor contraction or tensor products...

Dear all, i'm trying to understand geometry by studying the subject myself. i came across idea that I'm very much confuse of. it say's that 'geometry is a studies of geometric properties that is invariant under transformation' such as distance for euclidean geometry. my question is: why do...

Let $K$ be a field and $F_1$ and $F_2$ be subfields of $K$. Assume that $F_1$ and $F_2$ are isomorphic as fields. Further assume that $[K:F_1]$ is finite and is equal to $n$. Is it necessary that $[K:F_2]$ is finite and is equal to $n$?? ___ I have not found this question in a book so I don't...

I am trying to explain metric spaces and finding it hard to come up with simple to understand, interesting examples of metrics that are not translation invariant. The audience is people who are just now studying general metric spaces.

Homework Statement Consider the nonlinnear diffusion problem u_t - (u_x)^2 + uu_{xx} = 0, x \in \mathbb{R} , t >0 with the constraint and boundary conditions \int_{\mathbb{R}} u(x,t)=1, u(\pm \inf, t)=0 Investigate the existence of scaling invariant solutions for the equation...

Hello friends, I have now began to read a new book called space-time physics by Edwin.F.Taylor. In the first chapter(parable of surveyors),First it talks about invariant interval and it says the equation is: ## \sqrt{ (ct)^2 - x^2 } ## In Wikipedia,i saw a different answer for the...

Hi, I don't get which of the many matrix norms is invariant through a change of basis. I get that the Frobenius norm is, because it can be expressed as a function of the eigenvalues only. Are there others of such kind of invariant norms? Thanks

Hello there, I'm having a real problem understanding when a certain 'something' (for example Eddington-Finkelstein coordinates) is Lorentz invariant or how you can 'calculate' it. Heck, I'm not even sure if a coordinate system must be lorentz invariant, or if the metric in the equations...

Is the non-relativistic Lagrangian: \mathcal L=\frac{1}{2}m \dot{x}^2 invariant under boosts x'=x+vt? It doesn't seem like it is. Surely something must be wrong?

I don't know enough about general relativity to know why the following argument is wrong and I would love to hear why because I'm sure it will be a valuable lesson. The path of light is influenced by gravitationally lensing. Since the speed of light is invariant, the observed path of light...

Hi, from Srednickis QFT textbook, we know the following coupling of Lorentz group representations: (2,1)\otimes (2,1) = (1,1)_A \oplus (3,1)_S, which yields \epsilon_{a b} as an invariant symbol. Generalising, we can look at (2,1)\otimes (2,1) \otimes (2,1) \otimes (2,1) = (1,1) \oplus...

Can anyone help my to see why my solution is wrong because the in the solutions it says that it is not time invariant

Homework Statement Prove that the electromagnetic wave equation:  (d^2ψ)/(dx^2) + (d^2ψ)/dy^2) + (d^2ψ)/(dz^2) − (1/c^2) * [(d^2ψ)/(dt^2)]= 0 is NOT invariant under Galilean transformation. (i.e., the equation does NOT have the same form for a moving observer moving at speed of...

second order pde -- on invariant? What the meaning for a second order pde is rotation invariant? Is all second order pde are rotation invariant? or only laplacian?

A Theorem in our textbook says... If R is a PID, then every finitely generated torision R-module M is a direct sum of cyclic modules M= R/(c_1) \bigoplus R/(c_2) \bigoplus ... \bigoplus R/(c_t) where t \geq 1 and c_1 | c_2 | ... | c_t . There is an example from our textbook that I...

It is often stated that the Kronecker delta and the Levi-Civita epsilon are the only (irreducible) invariant tensors under the Lorentz transformation. While it is fairly easy to prove that the two tensors are indeed invariant wrt Lorentz transformation, I have not seen a proof that there aren't...

Homework Statement I nedd some help to write a left-invariant and right invariant metric on SU(2) Homework Equations The Attempt at a Solution