On Grothendieck's Riemann-Roch Theorem

Abstract

We prove that, for smooth quasi-projective varieties over a field, the $K$-theory $K(X)$ of vector bundles is the universal cohomology theory where $c_1(L\otimes \bar L)=c_1(L)+c_1(\bar L)-c_1(L)c_1(\bar L)$. Then, we show that Grothendieck's Riemann-Roch theorem is a direct consequence of this universal property, as well as the universal property of the graded $K$-theory $GK^\bullet (X)\otimes \mathbb{Q}$.