Contractibility is not closure-preserved: Difference between revisions

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Set <math>X</math> to be a [[circle]] and set <math>A</math> to be the complement of a single point in the circle. Then, <math>A</math> is homeomorphic to the real line, and is contractible. However, it closure <math>\overline{A}</math> equals <math>X</math>, which is not even simply connected, and therefore not contractible.
Set <math>X</math> to be a [[circle]] and set <math>A</math> to be the complement of a single point in the circle. Then, <math>A</math> is homeomorphic to the real line, and is contractible. However, it closure <math>\overline{A}</math> equals <math>X</math>, which is not even simply connected, and therefore not contractible.


This example can be generalized to the <math>n</math>-[[sphere]] <math>S^n</math> for <math>n \ge 1</math>.
This example can be generalized to the <math>n</math>-[[sphere]] <math>S^n</math> for <math>n \ge 1</math>, where the complement of any point is homeomorphic to <math>\R^n</math> (via, for instance, a stereographic projection).

Revision as of 15:27, 31 May 2016

This article gives the statement, and possibly proof, of a topological space property (i.e., contractible space) not satisfying a topological space metaproperty (i.e., closure-preserved property of topological spaces).
View all topological space metaproperty dissatisfactions | View all topological space metaproperty satisfactions|Get help on looking up metaproperty (dis)satisfactions for topological space properties
Get more facts about contractible space|Get more facts about closure-preserved property of topological spaces|

Definition

It is possible to have a topological space X and a subset A of X such that A is a contractible space in the subspace topology from X, but A¯, the closure of A in X, is not contractible.

Proof

Set X to be a circle and set A to be the complement of a single point in the circle. Then, A is homeomorphic to the real line, and is contractible. However, it closure A¯ equals X, which is not even simply connected, and therefore not contractible.

This example can be generalized to the n-sphere Sn for n1, where the complement of any point is homeomorphic to Rn (via, for instance, a stereographic projection).