tikzphysics

tikzphysics is a TikZ-native library for drawing classical-physics diagrams in LaTeX. It adds reusable shapes, styles, keys, and geometric anchors while keeping the normal TikZ workflow: diagrams are still built with \node, \draw, \path, and \tikzset.

Version: 1.0.0 (2026-08-12)

Included modules

• tikzphysics.surface: single-polygon, sharply mitered bent platforms; wedges, ground, ceilings, and walls.
• tikzphysics.mechanics: configurable blocks and pulleys, plus strings that compute exact pulley tangencies and circular contact arcs.
• tikzphysics.optics: a curved optical lens with arc anchors.
• tikzphysics.core: unit-aware dimensions, parametric anchors, and debug tools.

All public configuration keys begin with physics, for example physics wedge angle, physics platform width, and physics lens radius.

Bent-wall directions are continuous. The only excluded directions are a left wall at 0 degrees and a right wall at 180 degrees (modulo 360), because those fold directly back over the floor and have no finite miter.

Requirements

• LaTeX2ε
• PGF/TikZ, including the standard calc and patterns libraries

No shell escape, external program, special font, or platform-specific runtime is required when using the package.

Installation

After publication, install tikzphysics through TeX Live or MiKTeX. For a manual installation, copy these files into a directory searched by TeX:

• tikzphysics.sty
• tikzlibrarytikzphysics.code.tex
• tikzlibrarytikzphysics.core.code.tex
• tikzlibrarytikzphysics.surface.code.tex
• tikzlibrarytikzphysics.mechanics.code.tex
• tikzlibrarytikzphysics.optics.code.tex

For a private TeX tree, a suitable location is tex/latex/tikzphysics/; refresh the filename database afterward if your TeX distribution requires it.

Quick start

Load all modules:

\usepackage{tikzphysics}

Or load only the modules needed by a document:

\usepackage{tikz}
\usetikzlibrary{tikzphysics.surface, tikzphysics.mechanics}

An inclined plane with a block:

\begin{tikzpicture}
  \node[physicswedge, physics wedge angle=30, physics wedge width=6] (W) at (0,0) {};
  \node[physicsblock, physics block width=1, physics block height=1,
        rotate=30, anchor=south] at (W.slope-mid) {$m$};
\end{tikzpicture}

For a block-pulley system, use \physicsstringoverpulley{B.east}{P}{H.north}. It computes both tangent contact points and the circular wrap around pulley node P; the string does not rely on approximate compass anchors. The default physics string route=surface-right is intended for a block on a horizontal or rising surface with the mass hanging on the pulley's right. The approaching string remains parallel to the surface and passes over the upper pulley rim. The optional argument also accepts over, under, and shortest, or the individual tangent-solution and wrap keys.

A curved lens:

\begin{tikzpicture}
  \draw[->] (-3,0) -- (3,0);
  \node[physicslens, physics lens radius=5, physics lens thickness=0.25,
        physics lens aperture angle=30] (L) at (0,0) {};
  \draw (L.front-25) -- ++(-1,0);
\end{tikzpicture}

Bare dimension values are interpreted as centimetres; explicit TeX units such as 8mm, 12pt, and 1in are preserved.

Documentation and examples

The complete user manual is tikzphysics.pdf, built from tikzphysics.tex. Standalone source examples are provided in examples/, including complete bent-platform configuration and key-variant galleries. The pulley examples include horizontal-plane, inclined-plane, bent-platform, two-hanging-mass, and six string-routing arrangements. A terminal quick reference is available through:

./tikzphysics-help
./tikzphysics-help platform

Development

The package uses l3build for regression testing and release packaging:

l3build check
l3build doc
l3build ctan

The regression suite checks fixed platform corners, wall extents, numeric anchor endpoints, lens arc endpoints, and unit-aware sizing.

License

Copyright (C) 2026 Vaibhav Blayer.

This material is subject to the LaTeX Project Public License version 1.3c or later. The work has LPPL maintenance status maintained; the Current Maintainer is Vaibhav Blayer. See LICENSE for details.