LaTeX for Physicists

To get LaTex running on a windows system,

  1. Download and install MikTex
  2. Download and install TeXnicCenter
  3. Download the LaTex for Physicists Header
  4. Copy the header to the folder where you will save your document
  5. Add \input{header.tex} to the first line of your document as in this template

The LaTeX for Physicists Header has the following features:

  • Sets font size to 11pt
  • Includes commonly needed packages
  • Reduces page margins to 0.75in for more space
  • Redefines \maketitle to save space
  • Removes page numbers
  • Changes enumeration to letters as in physics exercises
  • \v{ } makes bold vectors (\v is redefined to \vaccent)
  • \uv{ } makes bold unit vectors with hats
  • \gv{ } makes bold vectors of greek letters
  • \abs{ } makes the absolute value symbol
  • \avg{ } makes the angled average symbol
  • \d{ }{ } makes derivatives (\d is redefined to \underdot)
  • \dd{ }{ } makes double derivatives
  • \pd{ }{ } makes partial derivatives
  • \pdd{ }{ } makes double partial derivatives
  • \pdc{ }{ }{ } makes thermodynamics partial derivatives
  • \ket{ } makes Dirac kets
  • \bra{ } makes Dirac bras
  • \braket{ }{ } makes Dirac brackets
  • \matrixel{ }{ }{ } makes Dirac matrix elements
  • \grad{ } makes a gradient operator
  • \div{ } makes a divergence operator (\div is redefined to \divsymb)
  • \curl{ } makes a curl operator
  • \={ } makes numbers appear over equal signs (\= is redefined to \baraccent)

General LaTeX tips:

  • Use "$ ... $" for inline equations
  • Use "\[ ... \]" for equations on their own line
  • Use "\begin{center} ... \end{center}" to center something
  • Use "\includegraphics[width=?cm]{filename.eps}" for images - must compile to dvi then use dvipdfm from a batch file
  • Use "\begin{multicols}{2} ... \end{multicols}" for two columns
  • Use "\begin{enumerate} \item ... \end{enumerate}" for parts of physics exercises
  • Use "\section*{ }" for sections without numbering
  • Use "\begin{cases} ... \end{cases}" for piecewise functions
  • Use "\mathcal{ }" for a caligraphic font
  • Use "\mathbb{ }" for a blackboard bold font

Below is a list of commonly used builtin symbols
LaTeX Symbol Search - search for LaTeX code by its mathematical name
Comprehensive List of Symbols