[Math] Ext functor and left exact sequence

derived-functorsexact-sequencefunctorshomological-algebrahomology-cohomology

We define $\operatorname{Ext}^n_R (A,B) = H^n(\operatorname{ Hom}_R(P,B))$, where $P$ is a projective resolution of A. $\operatorname{Hom}_R (-,B)$ is a left exact functor so $\operatorname{Hom}_R(P,B)$ is a left exact sequence. Does it mean $\operatorname{Ext}^n_R(A,B) = 0$ for all $n \ge 0$? If no, what is the definition of left (right) exactness for long sequences? Would you please recommend a reference for studying more about left (right) exactness (for long sequences)?

Thanks in advance

Best Answer

  • Sometimes one calls a left exact sequence an exact sequence of the form $$\tag{*} 0 \to A' \to A \to A''$$ and a right exact sequence an exact sequence of the form $$\tag{**} A' \to A \to A'' \to 0$$ but this terminology is not very common (I would try to avoid it), and there's no such thing as a left/right exact sequence of arbitrary length, as far as I know.

  • A sequence of morphisms $$\cdots \to A_{n+1} \xrightarrow{f_{n+1}} A_n \xrightarrow{f_n} A_{n-1} \to \cdots$$ is exact if $\ker f_n = \operatorname{im} f_{n+1}$ for all $n$, and it is a complex if $\operatorname{im} f_{n+1} \subseteq \ker f_n$ for all $n$. Note that an exact sequence is the same thing as a complex with trivial (co)homology.

  • The condition $\operatorname{im} f_{n+1} \subseteq \ker f_n$ is equivalent to $f_n\circ f_{n+1} = 0$, and after applying any additive functor $F$ you get $$F (f_n)\circ F (f_{n+1}) = F (f_n\circ f_{n+1}) = F (0) = 0,$$ so that any additive functor maps a complex (in particular, an exact sequence) to a complex. Similarly for contravariant $F$, $$F (f_{n+1})\circ F (f_n) = F (f_n\circ f_{n+1}) = F (0) = 0.$$

  • If $F$ is exact (i.e. both left and right exact), then it preserves (co)homology: $$H_n (F (C_\bullet)) \cong F (H_n (C_\bullet)).$$ In particular, an exact functor maps an exact sequence of arbitrary length to an exact sequence. If $F$ is contravariant, $$H^n (F (C_\bullet)) \cong F (H_n (C_\bullet)).$$

  • If $F$ is not exact (not left/right exact), then there is no reason for $F$ to preserve (co)homology of a complex.

  • In particular, if you start with a resolution $P_\bullet \twoheadrightarrow A$, then even though the complex $$\cdots \to P_2 \to P_1 \to P_0 \to 0$$ is exact everywhere, except for $P_0$, the corresponding sequence of morphisms $$0 \to \operatorname{Hom} (P_0,B) \to \operatorname{Hom} (P_1,B) \to \operatorname{Hom} (P_2,B) \to \cdots$$ is still a complex, but a priori there is no reason for it to be exact anywhere. Left exactness of $\operatorname{Hom} (-,B)$ will tell you only that the exact sequence $$P_1 \to P_0 \to A \to 0$$ corresponds to the exact sequence $$0 \to \operatorname{Hom} (A,B) \to \operatorname{Hom} (P_0,B) \to \operatorname{Hom} (P_1,B)$$ that is,

\begin{multline} H^0 (\operatorname{Hom} (P_\bullet,B)) = \ker (\operatorname{Hom} (P_0,B) \to \operatorname{Hom} (P_1,B)) \cong \\ \operatorname{Hom} (\operatorname{coker} (P_1 \to P_0), B) \cong \operatorname{Hom} (A,B). \end{multline}

so that $\operatorname{Ext}^0 (A,B) \cong \operatorname{Hom} (A,B)$.

  • If $\operatorname{Hom} (-,B)$ is an exact functor (in this case one says that $B$ is injective), then it indeed preserves (co)homology, and $\operatorname{Ext}^n (A,B) = 0$ for all $A$ and $n > 0$.

  • Here's a minimal example with abelian groups: to calculate $\operatorname{Ext} (\mathbb{Z}/n\mathbb{Z}, B)$, we may start with a projective resolution of $\mathbb{Z}/n\mathbb{Z}$: $$0 \to \mathbb{Z} \xrightarrow{\times n} \mathbb{Z} \to \mathbb{Z}/n\mathbb{Z} \to 0$$ After applying $\operatorname{Hom} (-,B)$ to the complex $$0 \to \mathbb{Z} \xrightarrow{\times n} \mathbb{Z} \to 0$$ you get the complex $$0 \to B \xrightarrow{\times n} B \to 0$$ Its cohomology in degree $0$ is $$\operatorname{Ext}^0 (\mathbb{Z}/n\mathbb{Z}, B) = \ker (B \xrightarrow{\times n} B) = \operatorname{Hom} (\mathbb{Z}/n\mathbb{Z}, B),$$ and its cohomology in degree $1$ is $$\operatorname{Ext}^1 (\mathbb{Z}/n\mathbb{Z}, B) = \operatorname{coker} (B \xrightarrow{\times n} B) = B/nB,$$ which is not trivial if the multiplication by $n$ is not surjective on $B$.

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