Understanding Traceless Compression in Solid State Physics: An Explanation

[savasagduk]

Hi I'm a beginner in solid state physics. My question is :

What does it mean "Traceless Compression" ?

In matris terms "traceless" means product of diagonal elements is zero .

is this the same thing ?
Thank you for any help .

 

[Patrus89]

Hi I'm a beginner in solid state physics. My question is :

What does it mean "Traceless Compression" ?

In matris terms "traceless" means product of diagonal elements is zero .

is this the same thing ?
Thank you for any help .

I cannot find an online reference to this, but I have never heard of another definition for "Traceless". Compression or Shear, traceless is traceless in a matrix.

 

[tiny-tim]

"Traceless" means the sum of the diagonal elements is zero.

 

[Patrus89]

"Traceless" means the sum of the diagonal elements is zero.

I missed that, sorry. Still, traceless compression is the same use of traceless as in shear or any other matrix, correct?

 

[tiny-tim]

I missed that, sorry. Still, traceless compression is the same use of traceless as in shear or any other matrix, correct?

I assume so.

 

[Gokul43201]

Hi I'm a beginner in solid state physics. My question is :

What does it mean "Traceless Compression" ?

In matris terms "traceless" means product of diagonal elements is zero .

is this the same thing ?
Thank you for any help .

I've never heard that term. For the stress tensor to be traceless, at least one of the uniaxial stress components needs to be tensile, while another one needs to be compressive.

If you do find a reference that explains this term, please post it here.

 

[tiny-tim]

Hi Gokul!

For the stress tensor to be traceless, at least one of the uniaxial stress components needs to be tensile, while another one needs to be compressive.

Isn't that exactly what happens when you squeeze most things? Compression in the direction you squeeze it, and tension in perpendicular directions?

 

[Gokul43201]

Hi Gokul!


Isn't that exactly what happens when you squeeze most things? Compression in the direction you squeeze it, and tension in perpendicular directions?

Yes, squeeze or stretch, you essentially conserve volume if you're in the elastic regime. But I've never heard that term before, and wonder when you call something a traceless compression as opposed to say, a traceless tension.