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equations:geodesic_equation [2018/04/14 11:09] aresmarrero [Intuitive] |
equations:geodesic_equation [2018/12/19 11:01] (current) jakobadmin ↷ Links adapted because of a move operation |
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Solutions of the geodesic equations are called geodesics. | Solutions of the geodesic equations are called geodesics. | ||
- | Geodesics are the straightest path between two points in a curved spacetime. | + | Geodesics are the "shortest" paths between two points in a flat spacetime and the straightest path between two points in a curved spacetime. |
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+ | On a sphere the geodesics are "great circles". | ||
<tabbox Concrete> | <tabbox Concrete> | ||
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\end{align*} | \end{align*} | ||
where the last line follows since $g_{ik}=g_{ki}$. | where the last line follows since $g_{ik}=g_{ki}$. | ||
- | Now we define the so-called [[advanced_notions:general_relativity:christoffel_symbols|Christoffel symbols]] | + | Now we define the so-called [[advanced_tools:connections:levi_civita_connection|Christoffel symbols]] |
\[ | \[ | ||
\Gamma_{ijk} \equiv -\bigl(\partial_{i}g_{jk}-\partial_{k}g_{ij}-\partial_{j}g_{ki}\bigr) | \Gamma_{ijk} \equiv -\bigl(\partial_{i}g_{jk}-\partial_{k}g_{ij}-\partial_{j}g_{ki}\bigr) |