TITLE: Is the matrix exponential map injective?
QUESTION [7 upvotes]: Is the matrix exponential $exp:M_n(\mathbb C) \to GL_n(\mathbb C)$ injective? Can it be that $e^A=I$ where $A$ is not the zero matrix?

REPLY [6 votes]: All the nice Lie Group elements look like $g=\exp(iA)$, for some "angle" $A$. 
Lets here think of finite dimensional and compact ones, which are connected to the unit. The $i$ is somewhat redundant, this is physicists notation to make $A$ have real eigenvalues if $g$ is unitary.
A good example would be the rotation group $SO(\mathbb{R},n)$ in any dimension. In three dimensions it's obvious that any rotation around $360°$ is represented by the unit element $I$.
In one dimension, you have $SO(2)$ or equivalently $U(1)$ with elements $e^{i\varphi}$ acting on the circle $S$ and for $\varphi=2\pi$ you get $e^{i\varphi}=1$. Alex Youcis's example acts on the cross product of circles $S^n$, with for example $S^2$ topologically being a torus. 
If the group is compact as a manifold, then I think it's pretty reasonable that if you follow specific trajectories, you might come back to the unit.