What Are the Key Concepts in Tensor Calculus?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around key concepts in tensor calculus, including operations such as addition, contraction, tensor products, and the significance of upper and lower indices. Participants explore the nature of tensors as multilinear mappings and their generalizations, as well as their applications in differential geometry and physics.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested
  • Homework-related

Main Points Raised

  • One participant inquires about the operations involved in tensor calculus, such as addition, contraction, and the implications of using lower and upper indices.
  • Another participant mentions the contraction of the Riemann curvature tensor with the metric tensor leading to the Ricci curvature tensor.
  • Several participants express uncertainty about their understanding and application of tensor concepts, indicating a struggle with correctly using the material they have memorized.
  • One participant references the Ricci flow and its relation to the Poincare conjecture, suggesting its relevance in physics applications.
  • Examples of equations related to the Ricci curvature tensor and scalar curvature are presented, with requests for explanations on the operations involved.
  • A participant highlights the importance of understanding the concept of raising and lowering indices, suggesting it simplifies the operations in tensor calculus.
  • Another participant introduces the summation convention, indicating its role in tensor operations.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express varying levels of understanding and confidence regarding tensor calculus, with no consensus on the clarity of concepts or the correctness of their applications. Multiple competing views on the difficulty of the subject and the need for deeper study are present.

Contextual Notes

Some participants note limitations in their understanding and application of tensor operations, indicating potential gaps in foundational knowledge or the complexity of the material.

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Hello.Questions: How tensor operations are done?Like addition, contraction,tensor product, lowering and raising indices. Why do we need lower and upper indices if we want and not only lower? Is a tensor a multilinear mapping?Or a generalisation of a vector and a matrix? Could a tensor be generalised in some ways?What about derivatives or integrals of tensors? Or taking limits of tensors?

We know there are some tensors used in differential geometry, like the Riemann curvature tensor, the Weyl tensor, The Ricci curvature, the metric tensor,or the stress energy tensor, the electromagnetic tensor, the Einstein tensor, the Einstein metric, what other tensors do you know? We know in vector analysis theorems for mappings of several variables like in vector integral calculus the Gauss theorem or the Stokes theorem, what about generalisations of these in tensor calculus?Can they be generalised?

Thank you.
 
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I have read somewhere i think about the first order derivative of the Riemann curvature tensor, about the contraction of the Riemann curvature tensor with the metric tensor which gives the Ricci curvature tensor.
 
So, you want someone to magically answer all that in a post, when it usually takes at least one textbook. Quoting Euclid "There is no royal way to geometry". You need to roll up your sleeves and do the work.
 
martinbn said:
So, you want someone to magically answer all that in a post, when it usually takes at least one textbook. Quating Euclid "There is no royal way to geometry". You need to roll up your sleeves and study.
I have read some of it, but after i memorise them, i am not sure if i use them correctly or if i make some mistakes.
 
I have read about the Ricci flow introduced by Hamilton, about the proof of the Poincare conjecture and its proof, which uses other theorems as well if i know correctly. There are also some publications on arxiv about the applications in physics of the Ricci flow and a generalised Ricci flow if i remember correctly.
 
I get stuck after i memorise them on if i use them correctly.
 
infinitely small said:
I have read some of it, but after i memorise them, i am not sure if i use them correctly or if i make some mistakes.

Perhaps it would be better to show us one of your attempts to use tensor calculus that you're unsure of.
 
Last edited:
Two examples: ##R_{jl}=g^{ik}R_{ijkl}## , ##R=g^{ij}R_{ij}## . Could someone explain these two equations, how the operations were done to have the Ricci curvature tensor and the scalar curvature?
 
infinitely small said:
Two examples: ##R_{jl}=g^{ik}R_{ijkl}## , ##R=g^{ij}R_{ij}## . Could someone explain these two equations, how the operations were done to have the Ricci curvature tensor and the scalar curvature?
I am not sure if i understand your question, maybe not, but it is worthy to mention that this operations has a name, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raising_and_lowering_indices , once you understand the concept it becomes almost immediate.
 

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