Calculating the Commutator of R_1,R_2 in Coordinates

[Oxymoron]

Could someone check if I have done this right.

R_1 = x^2\partial_3 - x^3\partial_2
R_2 = x^3\partial_1 - x^1\partial_3
R_3 = x^1\partial_2 - x^2\partial_1

Where x^i are coordinates.

I need to calculate the commutator [R_1,R_2].

[R_1,R_2] = x^2\partial_3x^3\partial_1 - x^3\partial_1x^2\partial_3 + x^3\partial_2x^1\partial_3 - x^1\partial_3x^3\partial_2 <br /> - (x^3\partial_2x^3\partial_1-x^3\partial_1x^3\partial_2) - (x^2\partial_3x^1\partial_3-x^1\partial_3x^2\partial_3)<br />
<br /> .\quad\quad\quad = x^2x^3\partial_3\partial_1 - x^2x^3\partial_1\partial_3 + x^1x^3\partial_2\partial_3-x^1x^3\partial_2\partial_3<br /> - x^3x^3\partial_2\partial_1 + x^3x^3\partial_1\partial_2-x^1x^2\partial_3\partial_3+x^1x^2\partial_3\partial_3<br />
.\quad\quad\quad = x^2\partial_1-x^2\partial_1+x^1\partial_2-x^1\partial_2 -x^3x^3\partial_2\partial_1 + x^3x^3\partial_1\partial_2 - x^1x^2\partial_3\partial_3 + x^1x^2\partial_3\partial_3<br />
<br /> .\quad\quad\quad = 0<br />

And as a result,

[R_1,R_2] = [R_2,R_3] = [R_3,R_1] = 0

by cyclically permuting the indices.

 

[dextercioby]

I think you're wrong...Check the angular momentum so(3) algebra...

Daniel.

 

[Oxymoron]

You're right. But I don't know where I went wrong. I would have expected

[R_1,R_2] = R_3[/itex]

 

[Oxymoron]

I think my problem is evaluating the differentials. Here is an example of what I am doing in a simpler problem.

let A=\partial_x, B=\partial_y, and C=x\partial_y-y\partial_x.

Im going to compute [A,C] and let me know if I've done something wrong...

[A,C] = [\partial_x,x\partial_y-y\partial_x]
= \partial_x(x\partial_y - y\partial_x)-(x\partial_y-y\partial_x)\partial_x
= \partial_xx\partial_y-\partial_xy\partial_x - x\partial_y\partial_x+y\partial_x\partial_x

Now I am pretty sure \partial_xx = 1 so the first term is \partial_y.

The second term \partial_xy\partial_x = \partial_x\partial_xy since the partial derivatives commute. The second term equals the fourth term so they cancel.

This leaves the third term. x\partial_y\partial_x=\partial_y(\partial_xx) = \partial_y(1) = 0

So I would say the answer is

[A,C] = \partial_y = B[/itex]<br /> <br /> how does this look?

 

[Oxymoron]

To be honest I don't think I've done this right at all.

My basic question is what does

\partial_yy\partial_x

equal? And is it the same thing as

y\partial_x\partial_y

EDIT: Could

\partial_yy\partial_x = \partial_y(y)\partial_x + y\partial_x\partial_y?

If this calculation is right could someone tell me how.

 

[topsquark]

To be honest I don't think I've done this right at all.

My basic question is what does

\partial_yy\partial_x

equal? And is it the same thing as

y\partial_x\partial_y

EDIT: Could

\partial_yy\partial_x = \partial_y(y)\partial_x + y\partial_x\partial_y?

If this calculation is right could someone tell me how.

What \partial_yy\partial_x means depends on how you are applying the \partial_y. From a commutator, for example:
[\partial_y, y\partial_x] = \partial_y(y\partial_x)-y\partial_x(\partial_y)
In this case the y operator acts on the whole expression so you use the product rule.

-Dan

 

[Oxymoron]

Ah, of course! So in fact

[R_1,R_2] = -R_3

and...

[R_2,R_3] = -R_1
[R_3,R_1] = -R_2