So, the best example I can think of is in fact, General Relativity, itself being a general covariant theory. But what makes a theory covariant? Exactly what does it mean?
I looked up definitions:
1. Physics Expressing, exhibiting, or relating to covariant theory.
2. Statistics Varying with another variable quantity in a manner that leaves a specified relationship unchanged.
Which is not very helpful, I am sure most agree. I wondered though if the latter statistical explanation is more akin to the works of a Covariant Theory. I do know that in general relativity diffeomorphism invariances in a schrodinger context can literally shuffle coordinates in spacetime but not alter the physical state. This seemed very similar to '' Varying with another variable quantity in a manner that leaves a specified relationship unchanged.''
But perhaps I am barking up the wrong tree?
Covariance by wiki-terms is much more similar in the way it explains it http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Covariance - so are my suspsicions right. Is this what makes a theory covariant or have covariance?
I looked up definitions:
1. Physics Expressing, exhibiting, or relating to covariant theory.
2. Statistics Varying with another variable quantity in a manner that leaves a specified relationship unchanged.
Which is not very helpful, I am sure most agree. I wondered though if the latter statistical explanation is more akin to the works of a Covariant Theory. I do know that in general relativity diffeomorphism invariances in a schrodinger context can literally shuffle coordinates in spacetime but not alter the physical state. This seemed very similar to '' Varying with another variable quantity in a manner that leaves a specified relationship unchanged.''
But perhaps I am barking up the wrong tree?
Covariance by wiki-terms is much more similar in the way it explains it http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Covariance - so are my suspsicions right. Is this what makes a theory covariant or have covariance?