Tensor Product Functor & Einstein Eqns: Relation?

In summary: I'm not sure if learning general relativity would help or hinder my ability to understand the Tensor Product Functor in Category Theory.
  • #1
nateHI
146
4
At the risk of sounding ignorant I'd like to propose a question to someone well versed in Homological Algebra and General Relativity. I'm starting to study the tensor product functor in the context of category theory because I'm interested in possibly doing a paper on TQFT for a directed reading course. My question is, after working through the mathematics of the tensor functor how close will I be to being able to work out the mathematics of the Einstein Equations?

Edit/Addition: I guess my question should be, what is the relationship (if any) between the Tensor Product Functor from Category Theory and the Einstein Equations?
 
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  • #2
unfortunately I know nothing of general relativity or einstein's equations. but i know something about tensor product functors. they just express a way to linearize bilnear operations. (in mumbo jumbo talk, they represent the functor of bilinear maps, or equivalently, they turn the composition of two Hom functors into one Hom functor.) they are a certain mathematical language, whereas einstein's equations presumably say something in that language. so to me your question sounds sort of like asking whether after learning english one will be able to understand shakespeare. maybe, maybe not. as an aside, einstein did not have the abstract fomulation of tensor products as a functor i would guess, hence almost certainly used the more computational version of it.
 
  • #3
mathwonk said:
unfortunately I know nothing of general relativity or einstein's equations. but i know something about tensor product functors. they just express a way to linearize bilnear operations. (in mumbo jumbo talk, they represent the functor of bilinear maps, or equivalently, they turn the composition of two Hom functors into one Hom functor.) they are a certain mathematical language, whereas einstein's equations presumably say something in that language. so to me your question sounds sort of like asking whether after learning english one will be able to understand shakespeare. maybe, maybe not. as an aside, einstein did not have the abstract fomulation of tensor products as a functor i would guess, hence almost certainly used the more computational version of it.
That's along the lines of what I was guessing. I suppose an idea for a paper would be to carry this line of thought out and make it precise. I suppose I would have to learn some GR which seems rather daunting.
 

Related to Tensor Product Functor & Einstein Eqns: Relation?

1. What is a tensor product functor?

A tensor product functor is a mathematical operation that combines two objects, called tensors, to create a new object. It is often used in linear algebra to represent the combination of multiple linear transformations.

2. How is the tensor product functor related to Einstein's equations?

The tensor product functor is used in the mathematics of general relativity, which is the theory behind Einstein's equations. In this context, the tensor product is used to combine tensors that represent different physical quantities, such as mass, energy, and momentum, to describe the curvature of spacetime.

3. What is the significance of the tensor product functor in physics?

The tensor product functor is essential in physics because it allows us to represent and manipulate complex physical quantities, such as fields and forces, in a mathematically elegant way. It is used in various fields of physics, including general relativity, quantum mechanics, and electromagnetism.

4. How does the tensor product functor relate to the concept of a vector space?

The tensor product functor is closely related to the concept of a vector space since it operates on two vector spaces to create a new vector space. It allows us to combine two or more vectors to create a new vector that represents the relationship between them.

5. Can the tensor product functor be extended to higher dimensions?

Yes, the tensor product functor can be extended to higher dimensions, and it is often used in higher-dimensional mathematics, such as differential geometry and topology. In these contexts, the tensor product is used to combine tensors of different ranks to create new objects with more complex properties.

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