Scalar field lagrangian in curved spacetime

resaypi
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Homework Statement


I am studying inflation theory for a scalar field \phi in curved spacetime. I want to obtain Euler-Lagrange equations for the action:
I\left[\phi\right] = \int \left[\frac{1}{2}g^{\mu\nu}\partial_\mu\phi\partial_\nu\phi + V\left(\phi\right) \right]\sqrt{-g} d^4x

Homework Equations


Euler-Lagrange equations for a scalar field is given by
\partial_\mu \frac{\partial L}{\partial\left(\partial_\mu\phi\right)} - \frac{\partial L}{\partial \phi} = 0

The Attempt at a Solution


\partial_\mu \frac{\partial L}{\partial\left(\partial_\mu\phi\right)} = \frac{1}{2}\partial_\mu\left(\sqrt{-g}g^{\mu\nu}\partial_nu\phi \right)
\frac{\partial L}{\partial \phi} = \frac{\partial \left[\sqrt{-g}V\left(\phi\right)\right]}{\partial \phi}

But according to the book the resulting equation is
\frac{1}{\sqrt{-g}}\partial_\mu\left(\sqrt{-g}g^{\mu\nu}\partial_\nu\phi\right) = \frac{\partial V\left(\phi\right)}{\partial \phi}

What am I doing wrong?
 
Last edited:
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Hi resaypi!

Looks right to me except for:

1. typo with \partial_nu instead of \partial_{\nu}

2. no factor of 1/2 when you take the \frac{\partial}{\partial (\partial_{\mu} \phi)} derivative

3. \frac{\partial \left[\sqrt{-g}V\left(\phi\right)\right]}{\partial \phi} = \sqrt{-g}\frac{\partial V\left(\phi\right)}{\partial \phi}
 
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