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Tensor-hom adjunction

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In mathematics, the tensor-hom adjunction is that the tensor product and hom-functor form an adjoint pair:

This is made more precise below. The order of terms in the phrase "tensor-hom adjunction" reflects their relationship: tensor is the left adjoint, while hom is the right adjoint.

General statement[edit]

Say R and S are (possibly noncommutative) rings, and consider the right module categories (an analogous statement holds for left modules):

Fix an -bimodule and define functors and as follows:

Then is left adjoint to . This means there is a natural isomorphism

This is actually an isomorphism of abelian groups. More precisely, if is an -bimodule and is a -bimodule, then this is an isomorphism of -bimodules. This is one of the motivating examples of the structure in a closed bicategory.[1]

Counit and unit[edit]

Like all adjunctions, the tensor-hom adjunction can be described by its counit and unit natural transformations. Using the notation from the previous section, the counit

has components

given by evaluation: For

The components of the unit

are defined as follows: For in ,

is a right -module homomorphism given by

The counit and unit equations can now be explicitly verified. For in ,

is given on simple tensors of by

Likewise,

For in ,

is a right -module homomorphism defined by

and therefore

The Ext and Tor functors[edit]

The Hom functor commutes with arbitrary limits, while the tensor product functor commutes with arbitrary colimits that exist in their domain category. However, in general, fails to commute with colimits, and fails to commute with limits; this failure occurs even among finite limits or colimits. This failure to preserve short exact sequences motivates the definition of the Ext functor and the Tor functor.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ May, J.P.; Sigurdsson, J. (2006). Parametrized Homotopy Theory. A.M.S. p. 253. ISBN 0-8218-3922-5.