How to derive a symmetric tensor?

Cathr
Messages
67
Reaction score
3
Let ##Q_ik## be a symetric tensor, so that ##Q_ik= \frac{m}{2} \dot x_i \dot x_j + \frac{k}{2} x_i x_j## (here k is also a sub, couldn't do it better with LaTeX).
How do we derive such a tensor, with respect to time? And what could such a tensor mean in a physical sense? It really looks like the tensor for the total energy, except that I don't understand the need for adding indices to create a symmetrical form.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
I apologize, the formula is actually ##Q_{ij}= \frac{m}{2} \dot x_i \dot x_j + \frac{k}{2} x_i x_j## .
 

Similar threads

  • · Replies 9 ·
Replies
9
Views
4K
  • · Replies 22 ·
Replies
22
Views
5K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
4K
Replies
3
Views
2K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
1K
  • · Replies 7 ·
Replies
7
Views
2K
  • · Replies 58 ·
2
Replies
58
Views
7K
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
3K
Replies
21
Views
3K
  • · Replies 7 ·
Replies
7
Views
5K