# \vb

Used in the physics package as the short form for bold vector notation; the starred form uses the alternate bold-italic vector styling path while keeping the same argument syntax.

https://texform.dev/latex/commands/vb

## Metadata

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Topic | [Physics: vectors](https://texform.dev/latex/topics/physics-vectors) |
| Packages | physics |
| Allowed mode | math |
| Tags | presentation |
| Commonality | low |
| Kind | prefix |

## Syntax

### physics

Argument specification: `s m`

Used in the physics package as the short form for bold vector notation; the starred form uses the alternate bold-italic vector styling path while keeping the same argument syntax.

## Examples

```latex
\vb v
```

[Open in Playground](https://play.texform.dev/?input=%5Cvb+v)

```latex
\vb*{v+w}
```

[Open in Playground](https://play.texform.dev/?input=%5Cvb*%7Bv%2Bw%7D)

## Renderer support

| Package | MathJax | KaTeX | XeTeX |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| physics | full | none | full |

## Usage frequency

0% of formulas in the measured corpus contain this entry, rank 263 of 263 entries with frequency data.

## In TeXForm

TeXForm parses this entry as prefix syntax; the package determines its argument specification.

### [physics/vb-to-mathbf](https://texform.dev/rules/physics/vb-to-mathbf)

Canonicalize vb to an explicit mathbf wrapper.

Level: faithful. Fidelity: render.

```latex
\vb{#1}
```

→

```latex
\mathbf{#1}
```

```latex
\vb{p}=mv
```

→

```latex
\mathbf{p}=mv
```

## Equivalent forms

```latex
\vectorbold{x}
```

exact. 

```latex
\mathbf{x}
```

approximate. Standard LaTeX equivalent for non-starred usage

```latex
\boldsymbol{x}
```

approximate. Standard LaTeX equivalent for starred usage

## See also

- [\\vectorbold](https://texform.dev/latex/commands/vectorbold)

## Test cases

### physics

| Input | Case | MathJax | KaTeX | XeTeX |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| \vb{a} | Positive: baseline | Pass | Fail | Pass |
| \vb*{a} | Positive: vary:s[0] | Pass | Fail | Pass |
| \vb a | Positive: bare[1] | Pass | Fail | Pass |