LaTeX: Figures - Wrapping Text Around Figures

Document 1

Wrapping Text Around Figures

LaTeX Source Ready

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{graphicx}
\usepackage{amsmath}
\usepackage{wrapfig}

\begin{document}

\section{Gauss's Law and Electric Flux Density}

\begin{wrapfigure}{r}{0.45\textwidth}
    \centering
    \includegraphics[width=0.42\textwidth]{gauss_flux.png}
    \caption{Closed Gaussian surface enclosing charge $Q_{\text{enc}}$.}
    \label{fig:wrap_gauss}
\end{wrapfigure}
Gauss's Law relates the distribution of electric charge to the resulting electric field. In its integral form, the total electric flux $\Phi_E$ through any hypothetical closed surface $S$ is proportional to the net electric charge $Q_{\text{enc}}$ enclosed by that surface:
\begin{equation}
    \oint_S \mathbf{E} \cdot d\mathbf{A} = \frac{Q_{\text{enc}}}{\varepsilon_0}
\end{equation}
where $\varepsilon_0$ is the permittivity of free space. By applying the Gauss divergence theorem to the left-hand side:
\begin{equation}
    \int_V (\nabla \cdot \mathbf{E})\, dV = \frac{1}{\varepsilon_0}\int_V \rho\, dV
\end{equation}
Equating the integrands for an arbitrary volume yields the first Maxwell equation: $\nabla \cdot \mathbf{E} = \frac{\rho}{\varepsilon_0}$. As depicted in Figure~\ref{fig:wrap_gauss}, flux lines diverge outward from regions of positive charge density.

\end{document}

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Formulation Guide

Include wrapfig package: \usepackage{wrapfig}
Open wrapped environment: \begin{wrapfigure}{r}{0.45\textwidth}
{r} aligns the figure to the right margin, {l} aligns to the left margin
Flow explanatory physics text directly after the environment

The wrapfig package wraps paragraph text around figures, mimicking professional textbook formatting. The first argument specifies alignment (r for right, l for left), and the second sets the reserved column width.

Document 2

Wrapping Text Around Figures

.tex

LaTeX Source Ready

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{graphicx}
\usepackage{amsmath}
\usepackage{wrapfig}

\begin{document}

\section{Rigid Body Dynamics: Rolling on an Incline}

\begin{wrapfigure}{l}{0.42\textwidth}
    \centering
    \includegraphics[width=0.38\textwidth]{fig1.png}
    \caption{Free-body forces on an inclined plane.}
    \label{fig:wrap_incline}
\end{wrapfigure}
Consider a uniform rigid body of mass $M$ and radius $R$ rolling without slipping down an inclined plane with inclination angle $\theta$. The active forces are gravity $M\mathbf{g}$, the normal reaction force $\mathbf{N} = Mg\cos\theta\,\hat{\mathbf{j}}$, and the static frictional force $\mathbf{f}_s$ acting up the incline plane.

The linear equation of motion along the incline is:
\begin{equation}
    Mg \sin\theta - f_s = M a_{\text{cm}}
\end{equation}
Taking rotational torques about the center of mass: $\tau = f_s R = I_{\text{cm}} \alpha$. Since pure rolling enforces the kinematic constraint $a_{\text{cm}} = R\alpha$, we eliminate $f_s$ to obtain:
\begin{equation}
    a_{\text{cm}} = \frac{g \sin\theta}{1 + \frac{I_{\text{cm}}}{M R^2}}
\end{equation}

\end{document}

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Formulation Guide

Wrap figure on the left margin: \begin{wrapfigure}{l}{0.42\textwidth}
State translational and rotational Newton-Euler equations
Derive center-of-mass linear acceleration for rolling without slipping

Positioning figures on the left margin via \begin{wrapfigure}{l}{...} provides varied editorial balance in extended scientific reports.

LaTeX 8.6 Wrapping Text Around Figures

Wrapping Text Around Figures

Rendered Output Preview

Formulation Guide

Wrapping Text Around Figures

Rendered Output Preview

Formulation Guide