Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2012 / iii / Paper 56 / 1 / b

The torsion tensor of an affine connection is $\mathcal{T}(X,Y)={\nabla }_{X}Y-{\nabla }_{Y}X-[X,Y]$, where the last term is the Lie bracket of vector fields. A torsion-free connection has $\mathcal{T}=0$. Since a coordinate basis commutes, this is equivalent there to ${\Gamma }^{\mu }{}_{\nu \rho }={\Gamma }^{\mu }{}_{\rho \nu }$; in a general basis its commutator must also be included.

The Levi-Civita connection is the unique torsion-free connection with metric compatibility, $\nabla g=0$. To derive its Christoffel symbols, lower the first index: ${\Gamma }_{\sigma \nu \rho }=g_{\sigma \mu }{\Gamma }^{\mu }{}_{\nu \rho }$. Metric compatibility givesWrite down this identity with the derivative indices $\rho ,\nu ,\sigma$, add the first two identities and subtract the third. Symmetry in the last two indices, supplied by the torsion-free connection, cancels all terms except twice ${\Gamma }_{\sigma \nu \rho }$. Raising the first index yieldsThis calculation proves uniqueness. Conversely, these Christoffel symbols are symmetric in $\nu ,\rho$ and satisfy $\nabla g=0$ by substitution, proving existence as well.