Metric tensor, infitesimal transformation

gouranja
Messages
11
Reaction score
0
Hi,

I don't think this belongs in the homework section since this is a graduate course.
My question is regarding making a field theory generally covariant by including a metric tensor g_{\mu\nu}(x)in the Lagransian density, and it's transformation under infinitesimal coordinate change.

If I transform the coordinates according to:
x^{\mu}\rightarrow x^{\mu}'=x^{\mu}+\epsilon^{\mu}(x)

The metric must be transformed according to:
g_{\mu\nu}(x)\rightarrow g'_{\mu'\nu'}(x')=\frac{\partial x^{\alpha}}{\partial x^{\mu}'}\frac{\partial x^{\beta}}{\partial x^{\nu}'}g_{\alpha\beta}(x)

which I understand well. But according to the textbook I'm reading the infitesimal result is:
\delta g_{\mu\nu}(x)=\epsilon_{\mu;\nu}+\epsilon_{\nu;\mu}
(with covariant derivatives).

I have tried using:
\frac{\partial x^{\alpha}}{\partial x^{\mu}'}\simeq\delta_{\mu}^{\alpha}-\frac{\partial\epsilon^{\alpha}}{\partial x^{\mu}}+O(\epsilon^{2})

to obtain:
\delta g_{\mu\nu}(x)=-g_{\mu\alpha}\partial_{\nu}\epsilon^{\alpha}-g_{\nu\alpha}\partial_{\mu}\epsilon^{\alpha}

but I don't know how to obtain the textbook result.
Can someone clue me in on how to do it?

Thanks
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Never mind, I solved it...
 
Insights auto threads is broken atm, so I'm manually creating these for new Insight articles. Towards the end of the first lecture for the Qiskit Global Summer School 2025, Foundations of Quantum Mechanics, Olivia Lanes (Global Lead, Content and Education IBM) stated... Source: https://www.physicsforums.com/insights/quantum-entanglement-is-a-kinematic-fact-not-a-dynamical-effect/ by @RUTA
If we release an electron around a positively charged sphere, the initial state of electron is a linear combination of Hydrogen-like states. According to quantum mechanics, evolution of time would not change this initial state because the potential is time independent. However, classically we expect the electron to collide with the sphere. So, it seems that the quantum and classics predict different behaviours!
Back
Top