I Move Stress-Energy tensor to the left side of EFE?

Click For Summary
Moving the Stress-Energy tensor (SET) to the left side of the Einstein Field Equations (EFE) does not change the underlying physics, as the mathematics remains consistent regardless of the placement. The discussion highlights that while some may argue about the relationship between dark energy and spacetime, the core principle is that the SET must equal zero to define a vacuum. The analogy of "two apples equals two apples" illustrates that rearranging terms does not alter the overall content of the equation. Ultimately, the position of the SET does not create a vacuum; it is defined solely by the tensor being zero. Thus, the placement of the SET in the EFE is a matter of preference rather than impact.
Fractal matter
Messages
34
Reaction score
14
Is it possible to move Stress-Energy tensor to the left side of EFE? R=T => R-T=0. Relativists move cosmological constant Λ to the right side of EFE. Can we move SE tensor to make a vacuum?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
You can move either tensor to either side. It makes no difference to anything. Because we don't know what dark energy/the cosmological constant is you can argue that it's a part of spacetime or it's a part of the contents of spacetime, and then it kind of makes sense to put it with the Einstein tensor or with the stress-energy tensor just in a birds-of-a-feather kind of way. The maths is the same, whichever side you put it.

You can take the stress-energy tensor to the same side as the Einstein tensor if you like. It doesn't make matter into a vacuum (unless it was already a Hoover).

"Two apples equals two apples" is equivalent to "two apples minus two apples is no apples". Neither statement makes any difference to the contents of my fruit bowl.
 
  • Like
Likes ohwilleke and Orodruin
Fractal matter said:
Can we move SE tensor to make a vacuum?
No. "Vacuum" is defined as the SET being zero. Which side of the equation you put the SET on is irrelevant to that.
 
Hello, everyone, hope someone will resolve my doubts. I have posted here some two years ago asking for an explanation of the Lorentz transforms derivation found in the Einstein 1905 paper. The answer I got seemed quite satisfactory. Two years after I revisit this derivation and this is what I see. In the Einstein original paper, the Lorentz transforms derivation included as a premise that light is always propagated along the direction perpendicular to the line of motion when viewed from the...