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1answer
56 views

Writing a tensor with respect to a particular basis

When defining tensors as multilinear maps, I am having trouble understanding why a tensor, let's say of type (2,1), can be written in the following way: $$T = T^{\mu\nu}_{\rho} e_\mu \otimes e_\nu ...
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1answer
192 views

Tensors: relations between physics and linear algebra

In continuum mechanics we use finite deformation tensors to exprime deformations in a point. The 9 components of the tensor (in reality 6 because of its symmetry) are defined as $$ ...
7
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3answers
561 views

What does the dual of a tensor mean (e.g. dual stress tensor in relativistic ED)?

I know what the dual of a vector means (as a map to its field), and I am also aware of of the definition a dual of a tensor as, $$F^{*ij} = \frac{1}{2} \epsilon^{ijkl} F_{kl}\tag{1}$$ I just don't ...
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4answers
2k views

Are matrices and second rank tensors the same thing?

Tensors are mathematical objects that are needed in physics to define certain quantities. I have a couple of questions regarding them that need to be clarified: 1-Are matrices and second rank tensors ...