Ring
05-06-2002, 07:26 PM
This isn't a question that will be of interest to most science buffs here so I apologize if you wasted your time clicking on it. I'm hoping a mathematician or maybe Chronos will know the answer.
http://home.pacbell.net/bbowen/covariant.htm
The above site says that given an Euclidean orthonormally represented vector
V = < 5 , 12 > you can define two new basis sets:
A1 = < .5 , 0 >
A2 = < .75 , .5 >
And
A1 = < .2 , -3 >
A2 = < .0 , 2 >
He then says that the first set is contravariant and the second set is covariant.
How can you have a covariant or contravariant basis set for fixed vector? And if you can, then what is that that makes them covariant and contravariant?
http://home.pacbell.net/bbowen/covariant.htm
The above site says that given an Euclidean orthonormally represented vector
V = < 5 , 12 > you can define two new basis sets:
A1 = < .5 , 0 >
A2 = < .75 , .5 >
And
A1 = < .2 , -3 >
A2 = < .0 , 2 >
He then says that the first set is contravariant and the second set is covariant.
How can you have a covariant or contravariant basis set for fixed vector? And if you can, then what is that that makes them covariant and contravariant?