NPTEL – Physics – Mathematical Physics - 1

Lecture 25
Transformation properties of vectors

Suppose the components of a vector in 3D (𝑉3 ) is represented in two

different coordinate systems as,

(𝑥1 , 𝑥 2 , 𝑥 3 ) and (𝑥̅ 1 , 𝑥̅ 2 , 𝑥̅ 3 ).

Since they are components of the same vector, there should exist a relation of
the form,

𝑥̅ 1 = 𝑎11 𝑥1 + 𝑎12 𝑥 2 + 𝑎13 𝑥 3

𝑥̅ 2 = 𝑎21 𝑥1 + 𝑎22 𝑥 2 + 𝑎23 𝑥 3

𝑥̅ 3 = 𝑎31 𝑥1 + 𝑎32 𝑥 2 + 𝑎33 𝑥 3

In a compact notation, this can be written as,

𝑥̅ 𝑖 = 𝑎𝑖1 𝑥1 + 𝑎𝑖2 𝑥 2 + 𝑎𝑖3 𝑥 3 ; 𝑖 = 1,2,3

Or, 𝑥̅ 𝑖 = ∑3𝑗=1 𝑎𝑖𝑗 𝑥 𝑗 𝑖 = 1,2,3

The components of 𝑎𝑖𝑗 are already discussed in the context of the

transformation between Cartesian and Spherical polar systems.

Using the summation convention, the above equation is written as,

𝑥̅ 𝑖 = 𝑎𝑖𝑗 𝑥 𝑗

As an application of this notation, let us conveniently express the matrix

multiplication equation, where A, B and C are matrices. According to the above
rule, it can be written as,

𝐶𝑖𝑗 = 𝐴𝑖𝑘 𝐵𝑘𝑗

where the repeated index k is assumed to be summed over. Of special

importance are the orthogonal matrices for which 𝐶𝑖𝑗 = 𝛿𝑗𝑖 (Krönecker delta is
also written as 𝛿𝑖𝑗 )

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Quotient rules

We shall discuss two useful theorems which will establish the tensor character
for sets of functions.

Theorem 1

Let A(i1,i2, …….ir) be a set of functions of the variable xi and let the inner
product A(, i2 …..ir) B with another vector 𝐵 ⃗⃑ be a tensor of the form,
𝑗1……..𝑗𝑞
𝐴𝑘 , then the set of A(i1 ……ir) represents a tensor of the type
1 ………𝑘𝑝

𝑗1……..𝑗𝑞
𝐴𝑘
1 ………𝑘𝑝𝑟

Proof

Let us assume that the inner product A(, j, k) B yields a tensor of the type
𝑗 𝑗
𝐴𝑘 (x). Now it is to be proved that A(i,j,k) is a tensor of the type 𝐴𝑖𝑘 .

Now A(,j,k) B transforms as,

𝑥𝑟 𝑦 𝑗
𝐶 (, 𝑗, 𝑘)  = 𝐴(, , 𝛾)𝐵
𝑦𝑘 𝑥

𝑥  
Where 𝐵  (𝑥) = 
𝑦 

and  is an arbitrary vector.

Putting this expression for B in the right hand of the above formula and
transporing all terms on one side of the equations yields,

𝑥  𝑥 𝑟 𝑦 𝑗
[𝐶(𝑖, 𝑗, 𝑘) − 𝐴(, , 𝛾)]= 0
𝑦  𝑦 𝑘 

Since  is arbitrary,

𝑥  𝑥 𝑟 𝑦 𝑗
𝐶(𝑖, 𝑗, 𝑘) =  𝑘  𝐴(, , 𝛾)
𝑦 𝑦 

This is precisely the law of transformation of the tensor of the

𝑗
type 𝐴𝑖𝑘

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Theorem 2

Let 𝐴 (𝑖𝑙 … … … 𝑖𝑟 ) be a set of  𝑟 functions defined in the P-coordinate system,

and let 𝐵 (𝑖𝑙 … … … 𝑖𝑟 ) be the corresponding sets in the Q- coordinate system. If
for every set of vectors with components 𝑙𝑞 relates to P-coordinates and
 relates to the Q-coordinates, one has the equality,
1

𝐵(𝑙 … … . . 𝑟 ) … … … …  = 𝐴(1 … … … . . 𝑟 )1 … … … … 𝑟

1 𝑟

(that is inner product is a scalar), then the set of functions A (i1 ……..ir)
represents a contravariant tensor of rank r in the P-coordinate system.

Proof

𝑦 𝑖
Since 𝑖 = 
𝑥 𝑖 𝑖

So,

𝑦 𝑖 𝑦 𝑟
[B (i……….r) - A (1……….r) 𝑥 𝑖 ……..𝑥 𝑟 ]  … … … … .  = 0
𝑖 𝑟

Since  … … . are abitary, the [… … ] = 0

𝑖

𝑦 𝑖 𝑦 𝑟
B (i……….r) = 𝑥 𝑖 ……..𝑥 𝑟 A(1 … … … … 𝑟 )

Which goes on to confirm that

A(1 … … … … 𝑟 ) = 𝐴1 …………𝑟

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