Properties
The disjoint union space X, together with the canonical injections, can be characterized by the following universal property: If Y is a topological space, and fi : Xi → Y is a continuous map for each i ∈ I, then there exists precisely one continuous map f : X → Y such that the following set of diagrams commute:
This shows that the disjoint union is the coproduct in the category of topological spaces. It follows from the above universal property that a map f : X → Y is continuous iff fi = f o φi is continuous for all i in I.
In addition to being continuous, the canonical injections φi : Xi → X are open and closed maps. It follows that the injections are topological embeddings so that each Xi may be canonically thought of as a subspace of X.
Read more about this topic: Disjoint Union (topology)
Famous quotes containing the word properties:
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—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)
“The reason why men enter into society, is the preservation of their property; and the end why they choose and authorize a legislative, is, that there may be laws made, and rules set, as guards and fences to the properties of all the members of the society: to limit the power, and moderate the dominion, of every part and member of the society.”
—John Locke (1632–1704)