Tagged: torsion element

Torsion Submodule, Integral Domain, and Zero Divisors

Problem 409

Let $R$ be a ring with $1$. An element of the $R$-module $M$ is called a torsion element if $rm=0$ for some nonzero element $r\in R$.
The set of torsion elements is denoted
\[\Tor(M)=\{m \in M \mid rm=0 \text{ for some nonzero} r\in R\}.\]

(a) Prove that if $R$ is an integral domain, then $\Tor(M)$ is a submodule of $M$.
(Remark: an integral domain is a commutative ring by definition.) In this case the submodule $\Tor(M)$ is called torsion submodule of $M$.

(b) Find an example of a ring $R$ and an $R$-module $M$ such that $\Tor(M)$ is not a submodule.

(c) If $R$ has nonzero zero divisors, then show that every nonzero $R$-module has nonzero torsion element.

 
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Torsion Subgroup of an Abelian Group, Quotient is a Torsion-Free Abelian Group

Problem 307

Let $A$ be an abelian group and let $T(A)$ denote the set of elements of $A$ that have finite order.

(a) Prove that $T(A)$ is a subgroup of $A$.

(The subgroup $T(A)$ is called the torsion subgroup of the abelian group $A$ and elements of $T(A)$ are called torsion elements.)

(b) Prove that the quotient group $G=A/T(A)$ is a torsion-free abelian group. That is, the only element of $G$ that has finite order is the identity element.

 
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