Tensor-hom adjunction

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. 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 . 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 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.