Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-general-relativity-ii-course-of-the-university-of-oxford/2021/1/a/solution

Write , for the expansion scalar, for the four-acceleration, and for the spatial projector of a timelike congruence. The normalization of the four-velocity gives and . The product rule and metric compatibility give the covariant derivative of the perfect fluid in general relativity stress-energy tensor:
Its tensor contraction with the four-velocity is
and its projection with the spatial projector of a timelike congruence is
Thus stress-energy conservation implies the relativistic perfect-fluid energy equation and the relativistic Euler equation:
Conversely, the two displayed equations set both projections of to zero. Since , they imply . This establishes equivalence, including points where , without dividing by that quantity.

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