Nilpotent elements control the structure of a module

Abstract

A relationship between nilpotency and primeness in a module is investigated. Reduced modules are expressed as sums of prime modules. It is shown that presence of nilpotent module elements inhibits a module from possessing good structural properties. A general form is given of an example used in literature to distinguish: 1) completely prime modules from prime modules, 2) classical prime modules from classical completely prime modules, and 3) a module which satisfies the complete radical formula from one which is neither 2-primal nor satisfies the radical formula.