Tensor Calculus

U.C.De
Absos Ali Shaikh
Joydeep Sengupta

Alpha Science International Ltd.

Harrow U.K.
 Contents

Preface vii

Introduction 1

I Some Preliminaries 5
1.0 Introduction 5
1.1 Systems of Different Orders 5
1.2 Summation Convention . 6
1.3 Kronecker Symbols 7
1.4 Some Results of Determinants 8
1.5 Differentiation of a Determinant 9
1.6 Linear Equations, Cramer's Rule 10
1.7 Examples 10
1.8 Exercises 13

II Tensor Algebra 15
II.O Introduction 15
II. 1 n-dimensional Space 15
11.2 Transformation of Coordinates in 5 n 16
11.3 Invariants 17
11.4 Vectors 18
11.4.1 Covariant Vectors 18
11.4.2 Contravariant Vectors 19
11.5 Tensors of Second Order . 22
11.5.1 Contravariant Tensors of Order Two 22
11.5.2 Covariant Tensors of Order Two 23
11.5.3 Mixed Tensors of Order Two 23
11.6 Mixed Tensors of Type (p, q) 24
11.7 Zero Tensor 25
11.8 Tensor Field 25
11.9 Algebra of Tensors 25
11.10 Equality of Two Tensors 27
11.11 Symmetric and Skew-symmetric Tensors 28
11.11.1 Symmetric Tensors 28
11.11.2 Skew-symmetric Tensors 29
11.12 Outer Multiplication and Contraction 31
11.12.1 Outer Multiplication 31
11.12.2 Contraction 31
11.13 Inner Multiplication 33
11.14 Quotient Law of Tensors 33
 II. 14.1 Quotient Law for Tensors of First Order and Type
(0,1) . 33
II. 14.2 Quotient Law for Tensors of First Order and Type
(1,0) 34
II. 14.3 Quotient Law for Covariant Tensors of Second Order
or of Type (0,2) , . 34
II. 14.4 Quotient Law for Contravariant Tensors of Second
Order or of Type (2,0) 35
II. 14.5 Quotient Law in General Form . 35
11.15 Reciprocal Tensor of a Tensor 36
11.16 Relative Tensor 37
11.17 Cross Product or Vector Product of Two Vectors 38
11.18 Examples 38
11.19 Exercises 61
III Tensor Calculus 64
111.0 Introduction 64
111.1 Riemannian Space 66
III.l.l Riemannian Metric 66
III. 1.2 Reciprocal or Conjugate Tensor of the
Fundamental Metric Tensor gy 71
III. 1.3 Associated Tensors, Lowering and
Raising Indices 74
III. 1.4 Magnitude or Length of a Vector . . 78
III.1.5 Unit Vector 79
III. 1.6 Null Vector . 79
111.1.7 Angle Between Two Non-null Vectors 80
111.1.8 Orthogonal Vectors 81
111.2 Christoffel Symbols and their Properties 85
111.2.1 Christoffel Symbols of First Kind ',.-.. 85
111.2.2 Christoffel Symbols of Second Kind . 85
111.2.3 Properties of Christoffel Symbols 86
111.2.4 Law of Transformation of Christoffel
Symbols of First Kind 97
111.2.5 Law of Transformation of Christoffel Symbols of Sec-
ond Kind 99
111.3 Covariant Differentiation of Tensors lOl
111.3.1 Covariant Differentiation of a Covariant Vector . . . 102
111.3.2 Covariant Differentiation of a Contravariant Vector . 103
111.3.3 Covariant Differentiation of Tensors of Type (0,2) . 104
111.3.4 Covariant Derivative of a Tensor of Type (2,0) . . . 106
111.3.5 Covariant derivative of a mixed tensor of type (1,1) 107
111.3.6 Covariant Derivative of a Mixed Tensor of Type (p,q) 111
111.3.7 Ricci's Theorem : 112
111.3.8 Gradient of a Scalar 117
111.3.9 Divergence of a Contravariant Vector . 117
 XI

III.3.10Divergence of a Covariant Vector 118

III.3.1lConservative Vector . . 119
III.3.12Divergence of a Contravariant Tensor of Order Two 120
III.3.13Divergence of a Mixed Tensor of Type (1,1) 121
III.3.14Laplacian of an Invariant 122
III.3.15Curl of a Covariant Vector 123
111.4 Riemann-Christoffel Curvature Tensor . 126
111.4.1 Definition 126
111.4.2 Properties of Riemann-Christoffel Curvature Tensor 131
111.4.3 Ricci Tensor 141
111.4.4 Scalar Curvature 144
111.4.5 Einstein Space 148
111.4.6 Einstein Tensor 150
111.5 Intrinsic Differentiation 153
IV Geodesics,Riemannian Coordinates and Geodesic Coordi-
nates 158
rv.l Calculus of Variations 158
IV.2 Families of Curves 158
IV.3 Euler's Conditions 159
IV.4 Geodesies . 160
FV.5 Riemannian and Geodesic Coordinates 162

V History of Tensor Calculus 166

Bibliography 168

Index 169