Exercise: prove that ǫijk ǫklm = δil δjm − δim δjl

Lecture 4 tensors: Summation convention identities • Recall the basic vector identity: a × (b × c) = (a · c)b − (a · b)c
• Use summation convention to rewrite the i-component of the left side:
• There are two very important identities connected with the summation convention
[a × (b × c)]i = ǫijk aj [b × c]k
• Product of the alternating tensor with the Kronecker delta: = ǫijk aj (ǫklm bl cm )
ǫijk δjk = 0 = ǫijk ǫklm aj bl cm

[Proof: if δjk = 1 then j = k and so ǫijk = 0; else if δjk = 0 then the product is zero.] • Similarly for the right hand side
• Product of the alternating tensor with itself [(a · c)b − (a · b)c]i = (a · c)bi − (a · b)ci
ǫijk ǫklm = δil δjm − δim δjl = ap cp bi − aq bq ci (need some δ ’s, so expand:)

6 = δil ap cp bl − δim aq bq cm (bi = δil bl , ci = δim cm )

[Proof: either (v. hard!) consider all 3 combinations and evaluate the sum, or (much easier) look
at both sides of the vector identity a × (b × c) = (a · c)b − (a · b)c] = δil δpj aj cp bl − δim δqj aj bq cm (ap = δpj aj , aq = δqj aj )
= δil δmj aj bl cm − δim δlj aj bl cm (1st term: p → m, 2nd term: q → l)
= δil δjm aj bl cm − δim δjl aj bl cm (symmetry of δ) 

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Vector identities

Deriving vector identities with tensors

1. Exercise Show that ∇ · (φv) = (∇φ) · v + φ∇ · v .
Solution:
• All the vector calculus identities can be simplified with tensor notation ∂ ∂φ ∂vi
∇ · (φv) = (φvi ) = vi + φ = (∇φ) · v + φ∇ · v
• Grad: for a scalar field φ(x1 , x2 , x3 ) ∂xi ∂xi ∂xi

∂φ
[∇φ]i =
∂xi 2. Exercise: Use tensor notation to show that ∇ × (φv) = φ(∇ × v) + (∇φ) × v .
Solution:
• Divergence: for a vector field v(x1 , x2 , x3 ) = (v1 , v2 , v3 )
∂
∂vi [∇ × (φv)]i = ǫijk (φvk )
∇·v = ∂xj
∂xi
∂vk ∂φ
= ǫijk φ + ǫijk vk
• Curl: for a vector field v(x1 , x2 , x3 ) = (v1 , v2 , v3 ) ∂xj ∂xj
∂vk ∂vk
[∇ × v]i = ǫijk = φǫijk + ǫijk [∇φ]j vk
∂xj ∂xj
= φ[∇ × v]i + [(∇φ) × v]i

Hence ∇ × (φv) = φ(∇ × v) + (∇φ) × v

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 Vector identities cont. . . Summation convention: position

• In continuum mathematics you learnt that ∇ × ∇φ = 0; not obvious, until you use tensors • Another application of the summation convention that will come in useful concerns the general
position vector
∂ ∂φ ∂φ
[∇ × ∇φ]i = ǫijk [∇φ]k = r = (x1 , x2 , x3 )
∂xj ∂xk ∂xk
P3
∂2φ with magnitude r 2 = 2
i=1 xi = xi xi
= ǫijk
∂xj ∂xk • Then the partial derivatives ∂r
∂xi are easy to find
=0 because terms cancel in pairs
∂ ∂ ∂xi
(r2 ) = (xi xi ) = 2xi = 2xi δij = 2xj
• Similarly ∇ · (∇ × v) = 0 ∂xj ∂xj ∂xj
 
∂ ∂vk • Also
∇ · (∇ × v) = ǫijk ∂ ∂r
∂xi ∂xj (r2 ) = 2r
∂xj ∂xj
∂ 2 vk
= ǫijk • Hence
∂xi ∂xj
∂r ∂r xj
=0 terms cancel in pairs again 2r = 2xj ⇒ =
∂xj ∂xj r

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2 exercises

1. (done in class) Show that

∇ · (a × b) = b · (∇ × a) − a · (∇ × b).

2. Show that
∇ × (axb) = (∇ · b)a − (∇ · a)b + (b · ∇)a − (a · ∇)b

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