TransWikia.com

Why does $epsilon_{munurhosigma}partial^{rho}partial^mu A^nu-epsilon_{munurhosigma}partial^{rho}partial^nu A^mu=0$?

Physics Asked by Lorenzo B. on May 2, 2021

The tensor $F^{munu}$ is defined as $partial^mu A^nu-partial^nu A^mu$. Why is the equation
$$epsilon_{munurhosigma}partial^{rho} F^{munu} = 0$$
identically satisfied by $F^{munu}=partial^mu A^nu-partial^nu A^mu$?

We have
$$epsilon_{munurhosigma}partial^{rho} (partial^mu A^nu-partial^nu A^mu)=epsilon_{munurhosigma}partial^{rho}partial^mu A^nu-epsilon_{munurhosigma}partial^{rho}partial^nu A^mu$$
I am told that since $epsilon$ is antisymmetric and $partialpartial$ is symmetric (no doubts about it), the product $(text{antisymmetric})(text{symmetric})=0$. Here is my attempt at understanding this last statement:

$$epsilon_{munurhosigma}partial^{rho}partial^mu A^nu=epsilon_{munurhosigma}partial^{mu}partial^rho A^nu=-epsilon_{rhonumusigma}partial^{mu}partial^rho A^nu=-epsilon_{munurhosigma}partial^{rho}partial^mu A^nu$$

  1. Step 1: symmetry of $partial^rhopartial^mu$
  2. Step 2: antisymmetry of $epsilon$
  3. Step 3: I call $mu$ $rho$ and viceversa, since they are to be summed over

Then I got $epsilon_{munurhosigma}partial^{rho}partial^mu A^nu=-epsilon_{munurhosigma}partial^{rho}partial^mu A^nu=0$. Are these steps right?

One Answer

You got it a little bit wrong, but the main ideas are here. Starting from $epsilon_{mu nurhosigma}partial^rhopartial^mu A^nu$, you commute $partial^rho$ with $partial^mu$ without changing anything. Then, you use anti symmetry of $epsilon$ to exchange the two indices $mu$ and $rho$. At this point: $$epsilon_{mu nurhosigma}partial^rhopartial^mu A^nu=-epsilon_{rho numusigma}partial^mupartial^rho A^nu$$ And since $mu$ and $rho$ are dummy indices, you can exchange them in the right hand side:$$epsilon_{mu nurhosigma}partial^rhopartial^mu A^nu=-epsilon_{munurhosigma}partial^rhopartial^mu A^nu$$ Since that thing is equal to its opposite, it should be zero indeed.

Correct answer by Emmy on May 2, 2021

Add your own answers!

Ask a Question

Get help from others!

© 2024 TransWikia.com. All rights reserved. Sites we Love: PCI Database, UKBizDB, Menu Kuliner, Sharing RPP