CHAPTER 2: INDEX NOTATION AND COORDINATE TRANSFORMATIONS .....................................................

10
2-1- Index Notation ..............................................................................................................................................10
2-1-1 Index notation and the Einstein summation convention .........................................................................10
2-1-2 Summation convention and dummy indices ............................................................................................10
2-1-3 Contracted product ..................................................................................................................................11
2-1-4 The Kronecker delta or the substitution operator ...................................................................................11
2-1-5 The permutation symbol or Levi-Civita tensor .........................................................................................11
2-1-6 Vector Product in index notation .............................................................................................................12
2-1-7 Scalar Triple Product.................................................................................................................................12
2-1-8 The  - identity ........................................................................................................................................12
2-1-9 Matrix Product..........................................................................................................................................13
2-2 Coordinate Transformations ..........................................................................................................................14
2-3 tutorials ..........................................................................................................................................................15

Course of Rational Mechanic_ By Dr Valentin MAKOMRA iv

CHAPTER 2: INDEX NOTATION AND COORDINATE
TRANSFORMATIONS
Let us introduce index notation: a far better way of doing vector calculations.

2-1- INDEX NOTATION

The index notation for vectors is far more useful than the notation that we have used
before. Index notation has the dual advantages of being more concise and more transparent.
Proofs are shorter and simpler. It becomes easier to visualize what the different terms in
equations mean.
2-1-1 Index notation and the Einstein summation convention
We begin with a change of notation, instead of writing ⃗ = ̂+ ̂ +
we write ⃗ = ̂ + ̂ + ̂ =∑ ̂
We simplify this further by introducing the Einstein summation convention: if an index
appears twice in a term, then it is understood that the indices are to be summed from 1 to 3.
Thus we write : ⃗ = ̂
Examples:
=  = , = , = ; = + +
2-1-2 Summation convention and dummy indices
Let consider: ⃗. ⃗ = + +
This indicate that we can write a scalar product as : ⃗. ⃗ =
In the term aibi, an index like i that is summed over is called a dummy index (or more
cavalierly as a dummy variable). The index used is irrelevant - just as the integration variable
is irrelevant in an integral (though in this case the term dummy variable is entirely
appropriate).
This means: = = = = + +
NB : A term cannot contain an index more than twice, if a compound calculation would lead
to such a situation, the dummy index should be changed. An index that appears only once
in a term is called a free or floating index.
For example: =( + + )

= = + +

j: repeated subscripts = dummy subscripts

i: free or distinct subscripts

In an equation, all terms must contain the same free indices, in particular you should note
that : ≠
If we have s = aibi and we want sci, as noted above we change the subscripts on a and b
because they are the dummy indices. Do not change the free indices because you risk changing
the equation. Thus s = .

Course of Rational Mechanic_ By Dr Valentin MAKOMRA 10

2-1-3 Contracted product
Contraction is the process of setting two free indices equal
 The contracted product of two 2nd order tensors is a 2nd order tensor defined by :
= . =
 The double contrated product of two 2nd order tensors is a scalar
= . = = ( . )
 The contracted product of a 2nd order tensors by a vector b is a vector :
 = . =
.⃗= ⃗ =
⃗. = ⃗ =
2-1-4 The Kronecker delta or the substitution operator
The Kronecker delta, =1 = =0 ≠
So = = =1 = = =0
We will sometimes find it convenient this result in an array
1 0 0
= = 0 1 0
0 0 1
Why is the Kronecker delta also known as the substitution operator? We can figure this out by
making a calculation.
Consider = let j take on the values 1, 2, and 3. Then we have:
=1∶ + + =
=2∶ + + =
=3∶ + + =
From this we can see that = . Thus applying Kronecker delta allows us to drop
a repeated index and changes one index into another.
Examples:
= =
So we see that if two indices are repeated, only one is dropped. We should note the following
obvious results: = 1 + 1 + 1 = 3 And =
2-1-5 The permutation symbol or Levi-Civita tensor
The number 1, 2, 3 are in cyclic order if they occur in the order 1, 2, 3 on a
counterclockwise path starting from 1.
⃗ ⃗

+ ⃗ − ⃗
⃗ ⃗

Cyclic Permutations Non Cyclic Permutations

Course of Rational Mechanic_ By Dr Valentin MAKOMRA 11

 Cyclic permutations are sometimes called even, non-cyclic permutations are sometimes
called odd. This idea can be used in the evaluation of vector products. The idea is introduced
through the permutation symbol
= +1 if is a cyclic permutation of 1,2,3.
= −1 if is a non − cyclic permutation of 1,2,3.
= 0 if ℎ , . .
So we find
= = = +1 and = = = −1
While
= = =0
We should also note the following properties:
= =
But when we swap indices
=− =−
2-1-6 Vector Product in index notation
Recall

⃗Ù ⃗ =

Now consider
=
This is a vector characterized by a single free index i. The indices j and k are dummy
indices and are summed out. We get the three values of by letting i = 1, 2, 3 independently.
This is useful but the method is made more powerful by the methods of the next section.
⃗Ù ⃗ =

2-1-7 Scalar Triple Product

⃗ Ù ⃗Ù ⃗ = =

2-1-8 The  - identity

= −
This identity can be used to generate all the identities of vector analysis, it has four free indices.
To prove it by exhaustion, we would need to show that all 81 cases hold. Note that the ε’s
have the repeated index first, and that in the δ’s, the free indices are take in this order:
1. both second
2. both third
3. one second, one third
4. the other second, the other third

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 Let’s put this to use by proving what would be a tough identity using ordinary vector
methods.
We’ll prove the bac-cab rule.

Example : Proof that :

⃗ Ù ⃗ Ù ⃗ = ⃗ . ⃗ ⃗ − ( ⃗. ⃗ ) ⃗
To prove this, let :
⃗Ù ⃗Ù ⃗ = ⃗Ù ⃗ = ⃗
We convert to index notation as follows:
⃗Ù ⃗= =
Then
⃗Ù ⃗ = = =
Rearranging terms, we have
= =
And using the - identity
=( − )
Then
= −
Then using the substitution properties of the Kronecker deltas, this becomes
= −
= ( )− ( )
= ⃗ ⃗ . ⃗ − ⃗( ⃗. ⃗ ) QED
2-1-9 Matrix Product
Product between a matrix and a vector
⃗= =
⃗ = =
⃗ : Transpose (3X1) (1x3)
Product between two matrices A and B
=
=
=
( )=
( )= ( )=
With
:Transpose matrix of A
: Trace of the matrix A defined as : = = + +

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2-2 COORDINATE TRANSFORMATIONS
Units basics vectors
{ ̂}= { ̂ , ̂ , ̂ }
⃗
{ ̂ }= { ̂ , ̂ , ̂ }
̂
̂
̂
̂ Two Cartesian frames: ( , , ) and
̂ O
( , , )
̂

= ℎ ℎ
− ℎ − ∶

= ( , )

The basic vectors in the primed coordinated frame is :

̂ = ̂ + ̂ + ̂
̂ = ̂ + ̂ + ̂
̂ = ̂ + ̂ + ̂
In index notation : =
The opposite transformation is : =
Let consider arbitrary a vector ⃗
⃗= ̂ + ̂ + ̂ = ̂
= ̂ + ̂ + ̂ = ̂
By substituting ….
⃗= ̂ = ̂
Since ⃗ = ̂  ̂ = ̂  ̂ = ̂  =
 =
Analogously,
̂ = ̂ and ⃗ = ̂ 
⃗= ̂
Þ =
⃗= ̂
We have transformation between orthogonal coordinate system:
= =
Remember Kronecker delta
= ( − ) =0
Since it is true for all vectors Þ − =0 =
Analogously :
= =
= ( − ) =0

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Since it is true for all vectors  − =0 =
The two relations :
=
 Orthogonality condition: ( )=1
=

Example 1 : Transformation
Let consider the components of a first and second order tensor in a particular coordinate frame
as :
1 1 0 3
= 4 ; = 0 2 2
2 3 2 4
Determine the components of each tensor in a
new coordinate system (x’, y’, z’) obtained
through a rotation of 60° as shown in the 60°
figure aside. Choose a counter clockwise
rotation.
Solution
60° 30° 90° 1⁄ 2 √3⁄2 0
= 150° 60° 90° = −√3⁄2 1⁄2 0
90° 90° 0° 0 0 1
The transformation of the vector quantity is given by :
1
1 ⁄2 √3⁄2 0 1 + 2√3
= = −√3⁄2 1⁄2 0 4 = 2
2 − √3/2
0 0 1 2
2
1⁄ 2 √3⁄2 0 1 0 3 1⁄2 √3⁄2 0
= = −√3⁄2 1⁄2 0 0 2 2 −√3⁄2 1⁄2 0
0 0 1 3 2 4 0 0 1
3
⎡ 7 ⁄4 √3⁄4 + √3 ⎤
⎢ 2 ⎥
= ⎢ √3⁄4 5 ⁄4 1 − 3 √3⁄2⎥
⎢3 ⎥
+ √3 1 − 3 √3 ⁄2 4
⎣2 ⎦

2-3 TUTORIALS
Exercice 1
Ecrire de façon explicite les expressions suivantes où i,j = 1, …,3 :
a) aibj
b) aijbij
c) aijbij
d) ij aibj
e) aijbjci
f) aijxj
Course of Rational Mechanic_ By Dr Valentin MAKOMRA 15
Exercice 2
⃗ Ù ⃗ Ù ⃗ = ⃗ . ⃗ ⃗ − ( ⃗. ⃗ ) ⃗
⃗Ù ⃗Ù ⃗ = ⃗Ù ⃗
= = =( − )
= − = − = ( )− (
= ⃗ . ⃗ ⃗ − ( ⃗. ⃗ ) ⃗

Course of Rational Mechanic_ By Dr Valentin MAKOMRA 16