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Application of Tensors in Special Relativity: 4.1 The Energy - Momentum Tensor
Application of Tensors in Special Relativity: 4.1 The Energy - Momentum Tensor
n → γn (4.2)
and
m → γm , (4.3)
so
! "−1
v2
ρ→ 1− c2
ρ. (4.4)
Thus the density ρ is not a component of a four - vector. We will see that it is a
component of a 2/0 tensor.
We can introduce a number flux four - vector N:
42
CHAPTER 4: APPLICATION OF TENSORS IN SPECIAL RELATIVITY 43
where γnv x is the flux per unit area across a surface with normals in the x direction
etc, and γn can be interpreted as the flux across a constant t surface. Thus N
combines the flux and the number density in a single four - dimensional quantity.
Note that
N · N = −n2 c2 . (4.6)
The most convenient definition of the energy - momentum tensor is in terms of its
components in some arbitrary frame.
! "
T d̃xα , d̃xβ = T αβ , (4.7)
For any particular system, giving the components of T in some frame, defines it
completely.
For dust, the components of T in the MCRF are particularly simple. There
is no motion of the particles, so all i - momenta are zero and all spatial fluxes are
CHAPTER 4: APPLICATION OF TENSORS IN SPECIAL RELATIVITY 44
zero. Therefore:
! "
T 00 = ρc2 = mnc2 ,
M CRF
! " ! " ! "
T 0i = T i0 = T ij =0. (4.12)
M CRF M CRF M CRF
It is easy to see that the tensor P ⊗ N has exactly these components in the MCRF,
where P = mU is the four - momentum of a particle. It follows that, for dust we
have
T = P ⊗ N = mnU ⊗ U = ρU ⊗ U . (4.13)
T αβ = ρU α U β , (4.14)
or in matrix form:
ρc2 0 0 0
0 0 0 0
T αβ = . (4.15)
0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0
T 0̄0̄ = ρU 0̄ U 0̄ = γ 2 ρc2 ,
T 0̄ī = ρU 0̄ U ī = γ 2 ρcv ī ,
T ī0̄ = ρU ī U 0̄ = γ 2 ρcv ī ,
T īj̄ = ρU ī U j̄ = γ 2 ρv ī v j̄ . (4.16)
These are exactly what we would calculate from first principles, for the energy
density, energy flux, momentum density and momentum flux respectively. Notice
one important property of T: it is symmetric:
T αβ = T βα . (4.17)
This will turn out to be true in general, not just for dust.
CHAPTER 4: APPLICATION OF TENSORS IN SPECIAL RELATIVITY 45
a
3
4 2
1
y
a
Dividing by c we get
∂ ∂ 0x ∂ 0y ∂
T 00 + T + T + T 0z . (4.20)
∂(ct) ∂x ∂y ∂z
T 00 ,0 + T 01 ,1 + T 02 ,2 + T 03 ,3 = 0 , (4.21)
or
T 0α ,α = 0 . (4.22)
T iα ,α = 0 . (4.23)
T αβ ,α = 0 . (4.24)
We will confine ourselves to discussing fluids which obey this conservation law.
This is hardly any restriction since we can always take n to be the number density
of baryons.
1 p
/ - . 0
= ρ + 2 nU α U β + pη αβ ,β + η αβ p,β = 0
n c ,β
1 p
/ - . 0
= nU β ρ + 2 Uα + η αβ p,β = 0 . (4.29)
n c ,β
η αβ Uα = U β , U α Uα = −c2 , (4.30)
and
1 ∂
(U α Uα ) = 0 ⇔ U α ,β Uα = 0 , (4.31)
2 ∂xβ
we get
1 p
- .
ρ + 2 n,β U β − ρ,β U β = 0 , (4.32)
n c
which gives
ρ + p/c2
1 2
dρ dn
= , (4.33)
dτ n dτ
d
where dτ
≡ U β ∂x∂ β is the derivative along the world line of the fluid.
The i components of T αβ ,β = 0 give
ρ + p/c2
1 2
p
- .
i β
U ,β U ρ + 2 η iβ p,β + nU β U i =0, (4.34)
c n ,β
J = (ρ, j x , j y , j z ) , (4.43)
F µν ,ν = 4πJ µ , (4.44)
where Fµν = ηµα ηνβ F αβ . We have now expressed Maxwell’s equations in tensor
form as required by Special Relativity.
The first of these equations implies charge conservation
∂ρ
J µ ,µ = 0 ⇔ + ∇.j = 0 . (4.46)
∂t
Proof:
= −F µν ,νµ
⇒ F µν ,νµ = 0
⇒ J µ ,µ = 0 . (4.47)
E⊥ = γ (E + v × B) , (4.49)
where E|| and E⊥ is the electric field parallel and perpendicular to x̂. Thus E and
B get mixed.
The four - force on a particle of charge q and velocity U in an electromagnetic
field is [ EXERCISE 4.4 ]:
K µ = qF µν Uν
= qγ (E.v, E + v × B) . (4.50)
The spatial part of K µ is the Lorentz Force and the time part is the rate of work
by this force.
By writing J = qU, Maxwell’s equations give [ EXERCISE 4.4 ]:
K µ = −T µν ,ν , (4.51)
where
! "
T µν = 1
4π
F µα F ν α − 14 η µν Fαβ F αβ . (4.52)
This is the energy momentum tensor of the electromagnetic field. Note that T µν
is symmetric as required and the energy density is [ EXERCISE 4.4 ]
T 00 = 1
8π
(E2 + B2 ) . (4.53)