Dirac's Gamma Matrices: What Are They & Do They Have Many Forms?

[pallab]

what are Dirac's gamma matrices

. especially ,

does it have many forms?

 

[fresh_42]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gamma_matrices

 

[hilbert2]

what are Dirac's gamma matrices

. especially ,

does it have many forms?

There are some different ways to define them. The Dirac equation, in which a matrix with differential operators as its entries is acting on the spinor field, looks a bit different depending on the representation (assuming you write it explicitly in matrix-spinor form).

 

[Michael Price]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gamma_matrices

Good link. Of the choices, I find the Weyl or chiral basis the best one to use..

 

[PeterDonis]

Of the choices, I find the Weyl or chiral basis the best one to use..

Generally speaking, the Weyl basis (in which $\gamma^5$ is diagonal) is most useful for studying relativistic particles, such as in high energy physics experiments, while the Dirac basis (in which $\gamma^0$ is diagonal) is most useful for studying non-relativistic particles. (Here "relativistic" and "non-relativistic" is relative to the lab frame in which the measuring equipment is assumed to be at rest.)