Going from Cauchy Stress Tensor to GR's Energy Momentum Tensor

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SUMMARY

The Cauchy Stress Tensor and the Energy Momentum Tensor share the same SI units due to their definitions, despite existing in different dimensional frameworks; stress is defined as force per unit area, while energy density is force per unit volume. Einstein did not start with the Cauchy Tensor when formulating the field equations of General Relativity (GR). The space-space components of the energy-momentum tensor correspond to the Cauchy stress tensor, while the time-time component represents energy density. A comprehensive understanding of the relationship between these tensors can be found in D. E. Soper's "Classical Field Theory."

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of tensor calculus
  • Familiarity with General Relativity (GR) concepts
  • Knowledge of stress and energy density definitions
  • Basic principles of relativistic physics
NEXT STEPS
  • Study the mathematical properties of tensors in physics
  • Explore the derivation of the Einstein field equations in GR
  • Learn about the Bianchi identities and their implications in GR
  • Read D. E. Soper's "Classical Field Theory" for a deeper understanding
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Physicists, students of General Relativity, and researchers interested in the mathematical foundations of energy-momentum tensors and their applications in relativistic physics.

Luai
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TL;DR
Is there a mathematical operation that transforms the Cauchy Stress Tensor to the Energy Momentum Tensor? If the former lives in 3D and latter lives in 4D, how come they have the same units?
  1. Why do the Cauchy Stress Tensor & the Energy Momentum Tensor have the same SI units? Shouldn't adding time as a dimension changes the Energy Momentum Tensor's units?
  2. Did Einstein start with the Cauchy Tensor when he started working on the right hand side of the field equations of GR?
  3. If so, What tensor operation(s) would transform the 3D Cauchy Tensor into the 4D Energy Momentum Tensor of GR?
 
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@Luai I have edited your post to remove the bold. There is no need to put an entire post in bold.
 
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Luai said:
Is there a mathematical operation that transforms the Cauchy Stress Tensor to the Energy Momentum Tensor?
No. They are two different tensors.

Luai said:
If the former lives in 3D and latter lives in 4D, how come they have the same units?
The units of stress are the same as the units of energy density. Stress is force per unit area. Energy density is energy per unit volume, i.e., (force x distance) / (area x distance), i.e., the same as force per unit area.

Luai said:
Shouldn't adding time as a dimension changes the Energy Momentum Tensor's units?
No. Why would it?

Luai said:
Did Einstein start with the Cauchy Tensor when he started working on the right hand side of the field equations of GR?
No.
 
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In relativistic physics, the "Cauchy stress tensor" form the space-space components of the energy-momentum tensor. The time-time component is the energy density and the time-space components are the momentum density (times ##c##).

The interesting thing with GR is that when you take the "mechanical energy momentum tensor" (ideal/viscous fluids, elastic bodies,...) on the right-hand side if you have a solution of the Einstein equations, due to the Bianchi identities the equations of motion for the matter, which is given by ##\vec{\nabla}_{\mu} T^{\mu \nu}=0## is automatically fulfilled, i.e., you can get a fully consistent solution of the Einstein equations only if you simultaneously solve the mechanics equations of motion for the matter.

A very nice treatment of all this can be found in

D. E. Soper, Classical Field Theory
 
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