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A Cartesian second-rank tensor has component matrix $T$ in each orthonormal basis, with transformation $T\prime =RT{R}^T$ under an orthogonal component change $R$. Both indices transform; this is why assigning arbitrary matrices independently in different bases does not define a tensor. The determinant, trace, and Frobenius inner product with another such tensor are unchanged by these basis transformations.

A type-$(1,1)$ tensor identifies with an endomorphism of a finite-dimensional vector space. Composing two such maps produces another type-$(1,1)$ tensor, because $(X,\eta )\mapsto \eta (B(A(X)))$ is a multilinear map. In output-first components the result is $C^a{}_b=B^a{}_c{A}^c{}_b$; the contracted index implements composition, and a basis change conjugates the corresponding matrices.

For a metric-compatible affine connection, its difference from the Levi-Civita connection is the contorsion tensor. It is determined by the torsion tensor. In derivative-last notation let $T_{ab}{}^c={\Gamma }^c{}_{ab}-{\Gamma }^c{}_{ba}$, the negative of geometric torsion, and lower the last slot with the metric tensor. Then $C_{abc}=\frac{1}{2}(T_{abc}+T_{bca}-T_{cab})$. This is the actual correction added to the Levi-Civita connection; a convention writing $\Gamma =S-K$ has $K=-C$.

Use the derivative-index-first velocity gradient $G_{ij}={\partial }_i{u}_j$ and $\omega =G-G^T$. For an objective time derivative the tensor transformation $A^{\ast }=QA{Q}^T$ under $x^{\ast }=Q(t)x+c(t)$ must imply $\mathcal{D}{A}^{\ast }/\mathcal{D}t=Q(\mathcal{D}A/\mathcal{D}t)Q^T$. If $R=\dot{Q}{Q}^T$, then $G^{\ast }=QG{Q}^T-R$ andConsequently the extra terms cancel in $D_{t}A+\frac{1}{2}(\omega A-A\omega )$, proving covariance. With the component-index-first gradient $L_{ij}={\partial }_j{u}_i$, the same physical rate is $D_{t}A-WA+AW$, with spin tensor $W=(L-L^T)/2=-\omega /2$. Changing the gradient convention without changing the commutator sign destroys objectivity.

The deviatoric part of a three-dimensional stress tensor is ${\mathbf{\sigma }}_{\mathrm{dev}}=\mathbf{\sigma }-\mathrm{tr}(\mathbf{\sigma })\mathbf{I}/3$. It is traceless. Adding an isotropic pressure does not change a normal-stress difference.

With derivative-last connection coefficients and $N_{abc}={\nabla }_c{g}_{ab}$, the displayed tensor is the symmetric-in-$a,b$ correction associated with the nonmetricity tensor. Raising its final slot gives the correction to connection coefficients. It vanishes for metric compatibility. Reversing the sign used to define nonmetricity reverses this formula.

An invariant tensor is fixed by every element of the represented group, so it spans or belongs to a trivial group representation. The special unitary group preserves its identity tensor and the upper and lower volume tensors. Such tensors make tensor contraction equivariant and permit invariant inner products and real structures.

With $\{{\gamma }_{\mu },{\gamma }_{\nu }\}=2{\eta }_{\mu \nu }$, $\Omega ={\omega }^{\mu \nu }{\gamma }_{\mu \nu }/4$, and $\Lambda =e^{\omega }$, the Clifford algebra gives $[\Omega ,{\gamma }^{\rho }]=-{\omega }^{\rho }{}_{\mu }{\gamma }^{\mu }$. Exponentiation proves the inverse Lorentz action displayed above, equivalently $S^{-1}{\gamma }^{\rho }S={\Lambda }^{\rho }{}_{\mu }{\gamma }^{\mu }$. This second order is what combines with $\psi \mapsto S\psi$ and the Dirac adjoint action $\bar{\psi }\mapsto \bar{\psi }{S}^{-1}$ to make the gamma bilinears transform as ordinary contravariant tensors.

A second-rank Cartesian tensor invariant under every proper rotation matrix is a scalar multiple of the Kronecker delta. Half-turns about the coordinate axes kill its off-diagonal entries, and quarter-turns make its diagonal entries equal. A tensor of the form $v_i{w}_j$ is an outer product with matrix rank at most one, so it is isotropic in three dimensions only when it vanishes, equivalently when $v=0$ or $w=0$.

On an oriented $d$-dimensional pseudo-Riemannian manifold, the metric volume tensor is the totally antisymmetric tensor with ${ϵ}_{1\dots d}=\sqrt{|\det g|}$ in positively oriented coordinates. It supplies the components of the volume form. It differs from the coordinate Levi-Civita symbol, whose entries are just $0,1,-1$. Raising indices with a Lorentzian metric can change signs; the metric, dimension and orientation must be specified.

A Newtonian fluid has viscous stress proportional to the local rate-of-strain tensor, with coefficients independent of that rate. For an isotropic fluid these coefficients are viscosities. Its Newtonian fluid stress tensor specifies the corresponding constitutive relation; the material and its stress tensor are distinct concepts.

For isotropic incompressible flow of a Newtonian fluid, the stress tensor is the displayed expression, with pressure $p$, dynamic viscosity $\mu$, velocity $\mathbf{u}$, and identity matrix $I$. In Couette flow, its off-diagonal component is the shear stress.