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I've started reading Peskin and Schroeder on my own time, and I'm a bit confused about how to obtain Maxwell's equations from the (source-free) lagrangian density $L = -\frac{1}{4}F_{\mu\nu}F^{\mu\nu}$ (where $F^{\mu\nu} = \partial^\mu A^\nu - \partial^\nu A^\mu$ is the field tensor).

Substituting in for the definition of the field tensor yields $L = -\frac{1}{2}[(\partial_\mu A_\nu)(\partial^\mu A^\nu) - (\partial_\mu A_\nu)(\partial^\nu A^\mu)]$. I know I should be using $A^\mu$ as the dynamical variable in the Euler-Lagrange equations, which become $\frac{\partial L}{\partial A_\mu} - \partial_\mu\frac{\partial L}{\partial(\partial_\mu A_\nu)} = - \partial_\mu\frac{\partial L}{\partial(\partial_\mu A_\nu)}$, but I'm confused about how to proceed from here.

I know I should end up with $\partial_\mu F^{\mu\nu} = 0$, but I don't quite see why. Since $\mu$ and $\nu$ are dummy indices, I should be able to change them: how do the indices in the lagrangian relate to the indices in the derivatives in the Euler-Lagrange equations?

Thanks.

I've started reading Peskin and Schroeder on my own time, and I'm a bit confused about how to obtain Maxwell's equations from the (source-free) lagrangian density $L = -\frac{1}{4}F_{\mu\nu}F^{\mu\nu}$ (where $F^{\mu\nu} = \partial^\mu A^\nu - \partial^\nu A^\mu$ is the field tensor).

Substituting in for the definition of the field tensor yields $L = -\frac{1}{2}[(\partial_\mu A_\nu)(\partial^\mu A^\nu) - (\partial_\mu A_\nu)(\partial^\nu A^\mu)]$. I know I should be using $A^\mu$ as the dynamical variable in the Euler-Lagrange equations, which become $\frac{\partial L}{\partial A_\mu} - \partial_\mu\frac{\partial L}{\partial(\partial_\mu A_\nu)} = - \partial_\mu\frac{\partial L}{\partial(\partial_\mu A_\nu)}$, but I'm confused about how to proceed from here.

I know I should end up with $\partial_\mu F^{\mu\nu} = 0$, but I don't quite see why. Since $\mu$ and $\nu$ are dummy indices, I should be able to change them: how do the indices in the lagrangian relate to the indices in the derivatives in the Euler-Lagrange equations?

Thanks.

I've started reading Peskin and Schroeder on my own time, and I'm a bit confused about how to obtain Maxwell's equations from the (source-free) lagrangian density $L = -\frac{1}{4}F_{\mu\nu}F^{\mu\nu}$ (where $F^{\mu\nu} = \partial^\mu A^\nu - \partial^\nu A^\mu$ is the field tensor).

Substituting in for the definition of the field tensor yields $L = -\frac{1}{2}[(\partial_\mu A_\nu)(\partial^\mu A^\nu) - (\partial_\mu A_\nu)(\partial^\nu A^\mu)]$. I know I should be using $A^\mu$ as the dynamical variable in the Euler-Lagrange equations, which become $\frac{\partial L}{\partial A_\mu} - \partial_\mu\frac{\partial L}{\partial(\partial_\mu A_\nu)} = - \partial_\mu\frac{\partial L}{\partial(\partial_\mu A_\nu)}$, but I'm confused about how to proceed from here.

I know I should end up with $\partial_\mu F^{\mu\nu} = 0$, but I don't quite see why. Since $\mu$ and $\nu$ are dummy indices, I should be able to change them: how do the indices in the lagrangian relate to the indices in the derivatives in the Euler-Lagrange equations?

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Derivation of Maxwell's equations from field tensor lagrangian

I've started reading Peskin and Schroeder on my own time, and I'm a bit confused about how to obtain Maxwell's equations from the (source-free) lagrangian density $L = -\frac{1}{4}F_{\mu\nu}F^{\mu\nu}$ (where $F^{\mu\nu} = \partial^\mu A^\nu - \partial^\nu A^\mu$ is the field tensor).

Substituting in for the definition of the field tensor yields $L = -\frac{1}{2}[(\partial_\mu A_\nu)(\partial^\mu A^\nu) - (\partial_\mu A_\nu)(\partial^\nu A^\mu)]$. I know I should be using $A^\mu$ as the dynamical variable in the Euler-Lagrange equations, which become $\frac{\partial L}{\partial A_\mu} - \partial_\mu\frac{\partial L}{\partial(\partial_\mu A_\nu)} = - \partial_\mu\frac{\partial L}{\partial(\partial_\mu A_\nu)}$, but I'm confused about how to proceed from here.

I know I should end up with $\partial_\mu F^{\mu\nu} = 0$, but I don't quite see why. Since $\mu$ and $\nu$ are dummy indices, I should be able to change them: how do the indices in the lagrangian relate to the indices in the derivatives in the Euler-Lagrange equations?

Thanks.