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

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pallab
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what are Dirac's gamma matrices
\{\gamma ^{0},\gamma ^{1},\gamma ^{2},\gamma ^{3}\}
. especially ,
\gamma ^{0}
does it have many forms?
 
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pallab said:
what are Dirac's gamma matrices
\{\gamma ^{0},\gamma ^{1},\gamma ^{2},\gamma ^{3}\}
. especially ,
\gamma ^{0}
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 said:
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.)
 
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