Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2009 iii Paper 58 5 Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-14
Let a dot denote differentiation with respect to an affine geodesic parameter . The five-dimensional geodesic Lagrangian isBecause is cyclic, its Euler-Lagrange equation gives the conserved quantityThis is the conserved momentum per unit five-dimensional mass associated with the Killing vector field . For the other coordinates, differentiate . Using givesThe first two terms combine into , with the Christoffel symbols of . Define the four-dimensional electromagnetic field tensor and raise its index with . The complete reduced geodesic equations areThis is the Kaluza-Klein geodesic Lorentz force. The Christoffel symbols describe the gravitational motion in general relativity in the four-dimensional metric tensor, while the right-hand side is antisymmetric in its lowered indices and gives the relativistic Lorentz force. In particular,Thus the force preserves the four-dimensional velocity norm, as a Lorentz force must. A particle with is neutral and follows an ordinary four-dimensional geodesic. Nonzero compact momentum gives electric charge, with its sign determined by the direction of motion around the circle.
To identify the actual charge-to-mass ratio, suppose the five-dimensional particle has mass and is its five-dimensional proper time, so . Then . Four-dimensional proper time obeys ; since is constant, satisfiesHere is in the geometric normalization of the supplied potential . The relation also follows directly from the five-dimensional mass shell, and continues to identify the effective mass when the higher-dimensional particle is massless. The distinction between the two proper times prevents mistaking itself for the physical four-dimensional charge-to-mass ratio. A rescaling of to a canonically normalized electromagnetic potential correspondingly rescales .
For the wave calculation, take a scalar field of five-dimensional mass in units , obeying . In the coordinate order , direct inversion of the metric tensor givesThe determinant follows by the triangular change of coframe from to , whose determinant is one. Write . Since all coefficients are -independent, the scalar covariant wave operator isExpanding the right-hand side verifies both cross terms , the term , and the coefficient of .
Single-valuedness under the compact coordinate period requires the Fourier seriesFor the th Kaluza-Klein mode, put and . The five-dimensional Klein-Gordon equation reduces toThis is the charged four-dimensional Klein-Gordon equation: the divergence expression includes both the spacetime connection and the gauge connection. Its interpretation as electric charge can also be checked directly. Under the fibre coordinate change , the metric retains its form with , and the scalar Fourier coefficient changes by . Hence , exactly the transformation law for a field of charge .
The Kaluza-Klein charge quantization is thereforePositive and negative integers give opposite charges, and the zero mode is neutral. Restoring gives compact momenta , so their fundamental spacing is . These are charges in the metric's geometric normalization. If for a physically normalized electromagnetic potential , the physical charge unit is in natural units, or with restored. Determining requires an electromagnetic action normalization not specified by the metric ansatz alone.