We know that ds^2=g_(mu nu)dx mu dx nu, How to calculate ds?

Aden Lambert

Aden Lambert

Answered question

2022-11-02

We know that
d s 2 = g μ ν d x μ d x ν ,
How to calculate d s?

Answer & Explanation

Kayleigh Cross

Kayleigh Cross

Beginner2022-11-03Added 19 answers

If you are trying to measure an infinitesimal proper distance ( d s) for a particle, it is convenient to specify the 4 dimensional coordinates of the particle as functions of an arbitrary parameter that I will call ξ. Thus the particle's position for each value of ξ will be: x μ ( ξ ). Then for an infinitesimal change of the parameter ξ the changes of the coordinates will be:
d x μ = d x μ ( ξ ) d ξ d ξ
So the infinitesimal proper distance is:
d s = ( d s ) 2 = g μ ν ( x ) d x μ ( ξ ) d ξ d ξ d x ν ( ξ ) d ξ d ξ
and therefore:
d s = g μ ν ( x ) d x μ ( ξ ) d ξ d x ν ( ξ ) d ξ     d ξ
This could be integrated from, say ξ 0 to ξ 1 to get the proper distance from the point x μ ( ξ 0 ) to x μ ( ξ 1 ) like this:
s = d s = ξ 0 ξ 1 g μ ν ( x ) d x μ ( ξ ) d ξ d x ν ( ξ ) d ξ     d ξ
Note that all these equations apply to flat Minkowski spacetime in any arbitrary coordinate system (including, for example, Cartesian or polar coordinates). It also applies to arbitrarily curved spacetime with any kind of coordinate system.

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