Mathematics Senior Capstone Papers
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
Spring 2019
Abstract
A tensor is a mathematical object that has applications in areas including physics, psychology, and artificial intelligence. The Riemann curvature tensor is a tool used to describe the curvature of n-dimensional spaces such as Riemannian manifolds in the field of differential geometry. The Riemann tensor plays an important role in the theories of general relativity and gravity as well as the curvature of spacetime. This paper will provide an overview of tensors and tensor operations. In particular, properties of the Riemann tensor will be examined. Calculations of the Riemann tensor for several two and three dimensional surfaces such as that of the sphere and torus will be demonstrated. The relationship between the Riemann tensor for the 2-sphere and 3-sphere will be studied, and it will be shown that these tensors satisfy the general equation of the Riemann tensor for an n-dimensional sphere. The connection between the Gaussian curvature and the Riemann curvature tensor will also be shown using Gauss’s Theorem Egregium.
Recommended Citation
Cox, Jennifer, "The Riemann Curvature Tensor" (2019). Mathematics Senior Capstone Papers. 3.
https://digitalcommons.latech.edu/mathematics-senior-capstone-papers/3