What's a Tensor?

Dan Fleisch briefly explains some vector and tensor concepts from A Student's Guide to Vectors and Tensors

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Vectors
• Tensors

[csmiller042]

I really liked the visual aids -- the visualization of 2nd and 3rd rank tensors were particularly instructive.

[yoududeuser]

That was brilliant thanks. It's this kind of thing that is the "missing link" at the start of every new mathematical topic.

[AlphaCentauriFy]

Thanks!

[splinky99]

I've been struggling to learn GR on my own for a couple of years now, made quite dizzy by the swarms of indices buzzing around on Youtube whiteboards and on the pages of various differential geometry texts, and never quite understanding tensors until I stumbled upon this brilliant video. You've made my day. Thank you so much.

[mpeskett]

I'd be scared if my Z component was equal to Octopus! D: (7:38)

[greiteneis]

Why didn't somebody tell me this before??????

[mrtamborineman10]

very nice job! thanks

[jknutsen5072]

To see a visual representation of what I am trying to say with regard to "pages" of matrices please look at the Levi-Cita symbol on wikipedia and there will be a diagram on the right side of the image I wanted to post here but it came up with an error.

Thanks for the video.

[jknutsen5072]

I was curious cause you did not mention it but isn't a Rank 2 tensor also a matrix of vectors (square matrix, is better)....so that 3X3 matrix could represent a similar concept. I am not sure if I said that right but to continue on that line of thought, the Rank 3 Tensor would be like a 3X3 matrix with 3 "pages" to it which would make it 3X3X3. I hope you understand what I mean and was wondering if this idea of 3-dimension matrices are used (probably replace by tensors in modern math though)...

[SmallguyBigthink]

Sir, thanks a lot! You have all my respect!

[iatibavinsky]

Your classes are probably the first ones to fill up every semester during registration at the school you teach. Thank you so much.

[sharrajesh465]

same as brilliant as your description of maxwell equations in the other podcast by you