Metric Definition and 1000 Threads

  1. R

    B Metric tensor of a perfect fluid in its rest frame

    The stress-energy tensor of a perfect fluid in its rest frame is: (1) Tij= diag [ρc2, P, P, P] where ρc2 is the energy density and P the pressure of the fluid. If Tij is as stated in eq.(1), the metric tensor gij of the system composed by an indefinitely extended perfect fluid in...
  2. N

    I Deriving Weak-Field Schwarzschild Metric from LEFEs

    I am trying to derive weak-field Schwarzschild metric using Linearized Einstein's field equations of gravity: []hμν – 1/2 ημν []hγγ = -16πG/ c4 Tμν For static, spherically symmetrical case, the Energy- momentum tensor: Tμν = diag { ρc2 , 0, 0, 0 } Corresponding metric perturbations for...
  3. P

    A Four velocity with the Schwarzchild metric

    I am trying to solve the following problem but have gotten stuck. Consider a massive particle moving in the radial direction above the Earth, not necessarily on a geodesic, with instantaneous velocity v = dr/dt Both θ and φ can be taken as constant. Calculate the components of the...
  4. N

    B How Do You Calculate the Total Mass in Kilograms from Atomic Mass Units?

    I have a complete brain freeze sorry, and cannot work this out. I have a helium atom of 4.0 amu and there are 6.0 x 10^24 atoms. How do I calculate the total mass in kg please? Thanks
  5. M

    A Show Spherical Symmetry of Schwarzschild Metric

    In one of the lectures I was watching it was stated without proof that the Schwarzschild metric is spherically symmetric. I thought it would be a good exercise in getting acquainted with the machinery of GR to show this for at least one of the vector fields in the algebra. The Schwarzschild...
  6. T

    Metric outside a weakly gravitating body (MTW Ex 19.1)

    Homework Statement This is Exercise 19.1 in MTW - See attachment Homework Equations See attachment The Attempt at a Solution [/B] I've worked through 19.3a, 19.3b and 19.3c ( see post by zn5252 back in March 2013 replied to by PeterDonis) and proved them for my my own satisfaction and I've...
  7. J

    A Find the determinant of the metric on some graph

    Hello there, Suppose $f$ smoothly maps a domain ##U## of ##\mathbb{R}^2## into ##\mathbb{R}^3## by the formula ##f(x,y) = (x,y,F(x,y))##. We know that ##M = f(U)## is a smooth manifold if ##U## is open in ##\mathbb{R}^2##. Now I want to find the determinant of the metric in order to compute the...
  8. Spinnor

    I Maximize dτ w/ Schwarzschild Metric: Two Masses, m & M

    Two masses, m and M, are a fixed distance R apart. One of the masses is much larger then the other. At time t the masses start to fall towards each other. Using Newton's Law of Gravitation we can determine the acceleration of the small mass. Can one use the Schwarzschild metric in the...
  9. T

    I Path of Light in Curved Spacetime with Metric g

    Suppose we have a curved spacetime with metric g, how can we find out the path of light throughout that space?
  10. C

    I Where the scale factor a(t) appears in the metric

    Hello, I was enjoying Zee's book on GR when I noticed the location of this "a(t)" thing in the metric sound quite disturbing to me. BTW: I experience the same annoyance and went down to the same conclusions, when I watched a related Theoretical Minimum lesson...Here's the setup, the flat...
  11. binbagsss

    I Raising/Lowering Indices w/ Metric & Tensors: Does Order Matter?

    This is probably a really stupid question , but, Does it matter whether the metric is after or before the tensor? My guess is it doesn't because tensors can be positioned in any order, the equation is unchanged. E.g ##M_{ab}B^{c}T^{m}_{nl}=T^{m}_{nl}M_{ab}B^{c}## right? However the covariant...
  12. LarryS

    I Spacetime Metric: Which signature is better?

    It seems that, in general, mathematicians prefer the (-,+,+,+) signature for the Minkowski spacetime metric while most physicists prefer the (+,-,-,-) signature. Is there any evidence that Nature actually prefers one over the other? As usual, thanks in advance.
  13. F

    A Is the Metric Tensor Invariant under Lorenz Transformations in M4?

    I'm stuck on an apparently obvious statement in special relativity, so I hope you can help me. Can I define Lorenz transformations as transformations that don't change the spacetime interval in M4 and from this deduct that the metric tensor is invariant under LT? I've always read that the...
  14. I

    Is a Complete Subspace Necessarily Closed in a Metric Space?

    Homework Statement Let ##E## be a metric subspace to ##M##. Show that ##E## is closed in ##M## if ##E## is complete. Show the converse if ##M## is complete. Homework Equations A set ##E## is closed if every limit point is part of ##E##. We denote the set of all limit points ##E'##. A point...
  15. I

    Convergence of sequence in metric space proof

    Homework Statement Let ##E \subseteq M##, where ##M## is a metric space. Show that ##p\in \overline E = E\cup E' \Longleftrightarrow## there exists a sequence ##(p_n)## in ##E## that converges to ##p##. ##E'## is the set of limit points to ##E## and hence ##\overline E## is the closure of...
  16. L

    A Interpretation of Derivative of Metric = 0 in GR - Learning from Wald

    I am trying to learn GR, primarily from Wald. I understand that, given a metric, a unique covariant derivative is picked out which preserves inner products of vectors which are parallel transported. What I don't understand is the interpretation of the fact that, using this definition of the...
  17. F

    A Metric on ℝ^2 Invariant under Matrix Transformations

    Hello, I am looking for some nontrivial metric on ℝ^2 invariant under the coordinate transformations defined by the 2x2 matrix [1 a12(θ)] [a21(θ) 1], where aik is some real function of θ. In the same way that the Minkowski metric on ℝ^2 is invariant under Lorentz transformations. Does...
  18. K

    I Deriving the FLRW Metric: 4D Euclidean Space Needed?

    Why is it needed to consider a 4D Euclidean space to introduce the FLRW metric? Is it because with a fourth parameter, we can set the radius of the 4D sphere formed with the four parametres as constant?
  19. V

    B Solving Field Equations & Schwarszchild Metric

    I have read that Albert Einstein was quite (pleasantly) surprised to read Schwarzschild's solution to his field equation because he did not think that any complete analytic solution existed. However, of all the possible scenarios to consider, a point mass in a spherically symmetric field (ie, a...
  20. arpon

    I Two metric tensors describing same geometry

    Consider two coordinate systems on a sphere. The metric tensors of the two coordinate systems are given. Now how can I check that both coordinate systems describe the same geometry (in this case spherical geometry)? (I used spherical geometry as an example. I would like to know the process in...
  21. K

    I Metric Components: Inner Product of Vector U & V

    The component of a one-form W can be represented using the metric as Wβ = gαβUα, where Uα is the component of a vector U, and one can always multiply Wβ by some Vβ to get the inner product between the two vectors U and V. My question is: since the inner product is defined with the two...
  22. Mihai_B

    A Kerr-Newman Metric Correction from Einstein-Rosen

    Einstein (+Rosen) came to the conclusion that they have to change the sign for the energy tensor Tik : "if we had taken the usual sign for Tik, the solution would involve +ε2 instead of -ε2. It would then not be possible, by making a coordinate transformation, to obtain a solution free from...
  23. K

    I Writing Components of a Metric Tensor

    I wonder if it is possible to write the components of the metric tensor (or any other tensor) as a summ of functions of the coordinates? Like this: g^{\mu\nu} = \sum_{\mu}^{D}\sum_{\nu}^{D} g_{_1}(x^{\mu}) g_{_2}(x^{\nu}) where g1 and g2 are functions of one variable alone and D is the...
  24. R

    A Lack of uniqueness of the metric in GR

    That the metric tensor is not uniquely determined by the EFE and what this might entail has been a source of debate for about a century. A way to view the problem is to decide what the manifold that has the property of diffeomorphism invariance and background independence exactly is in the...
  25. Jonathan Scott

    A Isotropic metric and circumference of sphere

    Schwarzschild coordinates for the Schwarzschild black hole solution become very weird near the event horizon because the radial coordinate is based on the proper circumference of a sphere but that has a minimum at the event horizon. This is easy to see in isotropic coordinates, where the...
  26. F

    I Why does time have to be a complex (Minkowski metric)?

    I am studying special relativity, and I found that you have to work with a four dimensional space, where time is a complex variable. If you do so, you end up with the Minkowski metric, were the time component is negative and space components are positive (or vice versa). My questions are, why do...
  27. J

    How do I determine whether this metric is flat or not?

    Hello everyone 1. Homework Statement I have a homework question where I need to find out if the geometry is flat or not. The metric is shown below. Homework Equations The Attempt at a Solution So far I have written the metric in the form guv but and I am trying to find coordinates in which...
  28. P

    A Connection, Metric and Torsion

    In the presence of torsion, is it correct to say that the metric doesn't give rise to a unique connection? So, if we were using, say ECKS theory, which unlike GR includes torsion, in order to find the connection, we'd need not only the metric, but a specification of the torsion. My thinking is...
  29. J

    I On the invariant speed of light being the upper speed limit

    Hello! I have a question that has been bothering me since I first started learning about Special Relativity: Given only the Minskowskian metric and/OR the spacetime interval, how can one reach the conclusion that the speed of light is invariant for every observer and how can one conclude that it...
  30. K

    I Is Symmetry on μ and α Valid for the Derivative of the Metric Tensor?

    I was thinking about the metric tensor. Given a metric gμν we know that it is symmetric on its two indices. If we have gμν,α (the derivative of the metric with respect to xα), is it also valid to consider symmetry on μ and α? i.e. is the identity gμν,α = gαν,μ valid?
  31. D

    Four-Velocity and Schwartzchild Metric

    Homework Statement What is the Schwartzchild metric. Calculus the 4-velocity of a stationary observer in this spacetime (u). Show that u2 = c2. Homework Equations Schwartzchild Metric d{s^2} = {c^2}\left( {1 - \frac{{2\mu }}{r}} \right)d{t^2} - {\left( {1 - \frac{{2\mu }}{r}} \right)^{ -...
  32. tommyxu3

    I Make a Pseudo-Riemannian Metric Conformal

    Hello everyone: I studied in differential geometry recently and have seen a statement with its proof: Suppose there is a Riemannian metric: ##dl^2=Edx^2+Fdxdy+Gdy^2,## with ##E, F, G## are real-valued analytic functions of the real variables ##x,y.## Then there exist new local coordinates...
  33. P

    MHB Square metric not satisfying the SAS postulate

    I'm not sure on how to do this problem. Can someone please help and explain? Thank you! Recall (Exercise 3.2.8) that the square metric distance between two points (x1, y1) and (x2, y2) in R^2 is given by D((x1, y1), (x2, y2))= max{|x2 − x1|, |y2 − y1|}. Show by example that R^2 with the square...
  34. S

    Metric tensor and gradient in spherical polar coordinates

    Homework Statement Let ##x##, ##y##, and ##z## be the usual cartesian coordinates in ##\mathbb{R}^{3}## and let ##u^{1} = r##, ##u^{2} = \theta## (colatitude), and ##u^{3} = \phi## be spherical coordinates. Compute the metric tensor components for the spherical coordinates...
  35. S

    Scale factor of special conformal transformation

    Homework Statement (From Di Francesco et al, Conformal Field Theory, ex .2) Derive the scale factor Λ of a special conformal transformation. Homework Equations The special conformal transformation can be written as x'μ = (xμ-bμ x^2)/(1-2 b.x + b^2 x^2) and I need to show that the metric...
  36. A

    I Quasars: What Metric Should You Use?

    Hello I just got interested into quasars and I have a question:What metric do you use for quasars?
  37. Stella.Physics

    I Christoffel symbols of Schwarzschild metric with Lagrangian

    So the Schwarzschild metric is given by ds2= -(1-2M/r)dt2 + (1-2M/r)-1dr2+r2dθ2+r2sin2θ dφ2 and the Lagragian is ##{\frac{d}{dσ}}[{\frac{1}{L}}{\frac{dx^α}{dσ}}] + {\frac{∂L}{∂x^α}}=0## with L = dτ/dσ. So for each α=0,1,2,3 we have ##{\frac{d^2 x^1}{dτ^2}}=0## for Minkowski spacetime also...
  38. A

    I Geodesic Equation: Lagrange Approximation Solution for Schwarzschild Metric

    Hello so if we have geodesic equation lagrange approximation solution: d/ds(mgμνdxν/ds)=m∂gμν∂xλdxμ/ds dxν/ds. So if we have schwarzschild metric (wich could be used to describe example sun) which is:ds2=(1-rs/r)dt2-(1-rs/r)-1dr2-r2[/SUP]-sin22. But that means that ∂gμν/∂xλ=0. So that means that...
  39. B

    Metric Spaces: Interior of a Set

    Homework Statement Let ##(X,d)## be some metric space, and let ##A## be some subset of the metric space. The interior of the set ##A##, denoted as ##int A##, is defined to be ##\bigcup_{\alpha \in I} G_\alpha##, where ##G_\alpha \subseteq A## is open in ##X## for all ##\alpha \in I##. The...
  40. A

    I Ricci tensor for Schwarzschild metric

    Hello I am little bit confused about calculating Ricci tensor for schwarzschild metric: So we have Ricci flow equation,∂tgμν=-2Rμν. And we have metric tensor for schwarzschild metric: Diag((1-rs/r),(1-rs]/r)-1,(r2),(sin2Θ) and ∂tgμν=0 so 0=-2Rμν and we get that Rμν=0.But Rμν should not equal to...
  41. P

    A Metric for Circular Orbit of Two Bodies

    I finally found a result I believe for the the asymptotic metric (valid for large r) of a pair of bodies in a circular orbit emitting gravitational waves. I use spherical coordinates, ##[t, r, \theta, \phi]##. If we let the linearized metric ##g_{\mu\nu}## be equal to the sum of a flat metric...
  42. M

    B Schwarzschild Metric Derivation?

    Hi, I was wondering if anybody could help me understand the derivation of the Schwarzschild metric developed by the author of mathpages website. Rather than reproduce all the equations via latex, I have attached a 2-page pdf summary that also points to the mathpages article and explains my...
  43. N

    I Validating a ds^2 Metric in General Relativity

    Hey all, in every theory that involves GR you see they give their space-time metric, but very few show any other math related to it, how does one know if a metric is valid?
  44. directbydirecct

    A Deriving Amplification of Images in Schwartzschild Metric

    In the paper Strong field limit of black hole gravitational lensing, the amplification of images in the Schwartzschild metric was given by $$ \frac{1}{\beta}\sqrt{\frac{2\,D_{LS}}{D_{OL}D_{OS}}} $$However the authors did not derive this expression or explain its origin. Does anyone know how to...
  45. P

    A Linearized metric for GW emitting orbiting bodies

    I'm looking for the linearized metric in the far field for a pair of mutual orbiting bodies that are emitting gravitational waves (GW's). I gather finding this (approximate) metric should be possible using the quadrupole moment of the source. From Landau & LIfshitz "Classical theory of...
  46. redtree

    A Relationship between metric tensor and position vector

    Given the definition of the covariant basis (##Z_{i}##) as follows: $$Z_{i} = \frac{\delta \textbf{R}}{\delta Z^{i}}$$ Then, the derivative of the covariant basis is as follows: $$\frac{\delta Z_{i}}{\delta Z^{j}} = \frac{\delta^2 \textbf{R}}{\delta Z^{i} \delta Z^{j}}$$ Which is also equal...
  47. F

    A A question about coordinate distance & geometrical distance

    As I understand it, the notion of a distance between points on a manifold ##M## requires that the manifold be endowed with a metric ##g##. In the case of ordinary Euclidean space this is simply the trivial identity matrix, i.e. ##g_{\mu\nu}=\delta_{\mu\nu}##. In Euclidean space we also have that...
  48. A

    B Schwarzschild Metric: Non-Rotating Black Holes & Examples

    Hello I have been reading about Schwarzschild metric and scources what I read said that Schwarzschild metric is used to describe a non-rotating black holes. And what I can not understand is what can you calculate with it? It would be good if you give some examples where you can use it.
  49. L

    A Question about Holonomy of metric connecton

    I am trying to follow Nakahara's book about Holonomy. if parallel transporting a vector around a loop induces a linear map (an element of holonomy group) {P_c}:{T_p}M \to {T_p}M the holonomy group should be a subgroup of GL(m,R) then the book said for a metric connection, the property...
  50. S

    I Godel Solution Metric: Shapes & Descriptions

    Here is the Godel solution: ds2 = -dt2/(2ω2) - (exdzdt)/ω2 - (e2xdz2)/(4ω2) + dx2/(2ω2) + dy2/(2ω2) Here is the metric tensor for it: g00 = -1/(2ω2) g03 & g30 = -ex/(2ω2) g11 & g22 = 1/(2ω2) g33 = -e2x/(4ω2) Every other element is 0. Now to my question: What shape is this metric? To clarify...
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