The effect of attaching the Möbius strip to the torus

algebraic-topologygeometric-topology

We can attach a Möbius strip $M$ to a torus by using a homeomorphism between its boundary circle and $S^1 \times \{x_0\}$. Then the claim is that the inclusion map will send the generator of $H_1(S^1 \times \{x_0\})$ to twice the generator of $H_1(M)$. Why is this true? Isn't $S_1 \times \{x_0\}$ identified with the boundary
circle through a homeomorphism? How could it wrap around the boundary circle of the Möbius strip twice then?

Best Answer

It does only wrap around the boundary circle once. The problem is that the boundary circle is not the generator of $H_1(M)$, it is twice the generator. Think of the deformation retract onto the middle circle to see this.