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For questions about Lie algebras, an algebraic structure whose main use is in studying geometric objects such as Lie groups and differentiable manifolds.

In mathematics, a Lie algebra is an algebraic structure whose main use is in studying geometric objects such as Lie groups and differentiable manifolds. Lie algebras were introduced to study the concept of infinitesimal transformations. The term “Lie algebra” (after Sophus Lie) was introduced by Hermann Weyl in the 1930s. In older texts, the name “infinitesimal group” is used.

Concretely, a Lie algebra $$\mathfrak{g}$$ over a field $$\mathbf{k}$$ is a $$\mathbf{k}$$-vector space equipped with an alternating bilinear multiplication $$[{-}\,{-}]\colon \mathfrak{g} \wedge \mathfrak{g} \to \mathfrak{g}$$ called the Lie bracket that satisfies the Jacobi identity:

$$\big[x\,[y\,z]\big] + \big[z\,[x\,y]\big] + \big[y\,[z\,x]\big] = 0$$

# Examples

• $$\mathbb{R}^3$$ endowed with the cross product forms a Lie algebra.

• For any any associative algebra $$A$$ with multiplication $$\cdot$$, you can define a Lie bracket on $$A$$ as a literal commutator between two elements, $$[v\,w]= v\cdot w-w\cdot v\,,$$ making $$A$$ into a Lie algebra.