PH3500 Classical Physics Aug-Dec 2019

Problem sheet 01

This random collection of 12 problems is to help you understand the index notation.

1. Give at least two examples for the following scalar and vector point functions.
! ! ! ! !
i)F(x, y), ii) F(x, y, z), iii) f (r), iv) f ( r ), v) F( r ), vi)F( ρ ) and F(r,θ )

2. Guess what the following quantities might denote? Also write them in index
notation.
!
i)B, ii) B and iii)B . Also expand them.

3. Assuming Cartesian coordinates expand the following: ai = bi + ci and a jj

4. Identify the free and dummy indices with reasoning: ai = α ijk b j ck + βij d j . Rewrite
this after “renaming” first the free index and then a dummy index.

5. Define the Kronecker delta and the Levi-Civita symbol. Are they tensors?
! ! ! !!
6. Express α A, A⋅ B (scalar multiplication and scalar product) and A B (tensor or
dyadic product) in index notation.

7. Write the components of Ajj Bkk explicitly, for any tensor A and B.

8. Write δ iiδ k l explicitly.

⎛1 2 6 ⎞
⎜ ⎟ !
9. Find Aij b j and Aij bi , given Aij = ⎜ 2 1 9 ⎟ and b = 2êx + êz .
⎜0 6 4⎟
⎝ ⎠

10. Write ε ijk ε lmn in terms of a determinant, the elements of which are Kronecker
deltas. Find ε ijk ε lmk .
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
11. Write down (i) A i ( B × C) , (ii) A × ( B × C) and (iii) ( A × B) i ( A × B) in index
notation.

12. Read about homogeneous functions and the Euler’s theorem for homogeneous
∂T
functions. Evaluate the sum α i , where T = Ajkα jα k , and Ajk is a constant
∂α i
matrix.