Are p-adic fields isomorphic for different primes?

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In summary, the conversation discusses the non-isomorphism between the p-adic fields \mathbb{Q}_p and \mathbb{Q}_q when p \neq q are two prime numbers. The definition of \mathbb{Q}_p as a set of rational Cauchy-Sequences divided by an ideal is also mentioned. The conversation also mentions that the number of roots of unity in a field can be used to distinguish between different p-adic fields.
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caji
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Hey,

If [tex]p \neq q[/tex] are two primes, then the p-adic fields [tex]\mathbb{Q}_p[/tex] and [tex]\mathbb{Q}_q[/tex] are non isomorphic, right?

Actually I've read this in my book and I'm not sure, if that's obvious (which means its just me who doesn't recognize it) or a statement which has to be proven.

The p-adic fields as I know them are defined as:
Let [tex]\mathcal{C}_p[/tex] be the set of all rational Cauchy-Sequences, and [tex]\mathcal{N}_p[/tex] be the ideal of [tex]\mathcal{C}_p[/tex] of all sequences converging to zero. Then [tex]\mathbb{Q}_p := \mathcal{C}_p / \mathcal{N}_p[/tex]

caji
 
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This is the definition of ##\mathbb{R}## in general. It depends on the used metric, because the metric defines Cauchy sequences. So the ##p-##adicness is hidden in the metric with this definition. If we use the usual Euclidean (Archimedean) metric, we get the usual reals. We need to use the p-adic metric to get ##\mathbb{Q}_p\,.##

##\mathbb{Q}_p \ncong \mathbb{Q}_q \Longleftrightarrow p\neq q##.

Looking at the number of roots of unity in your field suffices to distinguish all ##\mathbb{Q}_p## for odd values of ##p##, because the number of roots of ##1## there is precisely ##p−1\,.## It's different for the ##2-##adic numbers, since they have two roots of unity, same as the ##3##-adics. But the ##2-##adics have a square root of ##−7## and the ##3-##adics don't, whereas the ##3-##adics have a square root of ##10## and the ##2-##adics don't.
https://math.stackexchange.com/questions/93633/is-mathbb-q-r-algebraically-isomorphic-to-mathbb-q-s-while-r-and-s-denote/95128#95128
 

FAQ: Are p-adic fields isomorphic for different primes?

What is a P-adic field?

A P-adic field is a mathematical construct that extends the rational numbers by introducing a notion of "P-adic valuation," which measures the divisibility of a number by a prime number P. It is denoted by Qp, where p is a prime number.

How is a P-adic field different from the real numbers?

Unlike the real numbers, which are based on decimal expansions, the P-adic numbers are based on P-adic expansions. This means that a number in a P-adic field is represented as a series of digits, but the digits are grouped according to powers of P instead of powers of 10. This leads to different notions of distance and convergence in the two number systems.

What are some applications of P-adic fields?

P-adic fields have many applications in number theory and algebraic geometry. They are also used in cryptography, particularly in the construction of public key cryptosystems. Additionally, they have been used in theoretical physics to study p-adic string theory and p-adic quantum mechanics.

Can P-adic fields be extended beyond the rational numbers?

Yes, P-adic fields can be extended to include algebraic numbers, which are numbers that are solutions to polynomial equations with rational coefficients. This extended field is denoted by Qpal.

What is the significance of the "p" in P-adic fields?

The "p" in P-adic fields refers to the prime number that is used to define the P-adic valuation. Different prime numbers will result in different P-adic fields. For example, Q2 is the P-adic field based on the prime number 2, while Q5 is the P-adic field based on the prime number 5.

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