- #1
kent davidge
- 933
- 56
The component of a one-form W can be represented using the metric as Wβ = gαβUα, where Uα is the component of a vector U, and one can always multiply Wβ by some Vβ to get the inner product between the two vectors U and V.
My question is: since the inner product is defined with the two components having the same index, like WβVβ, then it would mean that any given component gαβ with α ≠ β would be zero? i.e. every metric is diagonal?
I suspect it is true at least for familiar coordinate systems, because I noticed either in cartesian coordinates or spherical coordinates any component with two different indices is equal to zero.
My question is: since the inner product is defined with the two components having the same index, like WβVβ, then it would mean that any given component gαβ with α ≠ β would be zero? i.e. every metric is diagonal?
I suspect it is true at least for familiar coordinate systems, because I noticed either in cartesian coordinates or spherical coordinates any component with two different indices is equal to zero.
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