MHB How do I add directional arrows going counterclockwise on the circle?

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To add directional arrows on a circle in TikZ, begin by drawing the circle and then use the arc command to create the arrows. For counterclockwise arrows, specify the starting point and use the arc with a positive end angle. The starting coordinate for the arc is crucial, as it determines where the arrow begins, not the center of the circle. For clockwise arrows, you can either reverse the arc direction with a negative end angle or use the <- notation for a leftward arrow. To position the arrow directly on the circle, ensure the radius matches the circle's radius. Creative designs can be achieved by varying the radius and angles in a loop, allowing for multiple arrows with different styles.
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Code:
\begin{tikzpicture}
\draw (0,0) circle (1cm);
\end{tikzpicture}

How do I add directional arrows going counterclockwise on the circle?
 
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Try something like this:

Code:
\begin{tikzpicture}
\draw (0,0) circle (1cm);
\draw[->, blue, thick] (1.2cm, 0) arc [radius = 1.2cm, start angle= 0, end angle= 70];
\end{tikzpicture}

Note the first coordinate before the arc command is where you'd like the arc to start, not the arc's center. I find this kind of a stupid decision, but that's the way it is. The arrow is specified by -> in the draw qualifiers.

If you want a clockwise arrow, you can have the arc go backwards (or you can use <- instead, <-> gives you bidirectional arrows):

Code:
\begin{tikzpicture}
\draw (0,0) circle (1cm);
\draw[->, blue, thick] (1.2cm, 0) arc [radius = 1.2cm, start angle= 0, end angle= -70];
\end{tikzpicture}

If you want the arrow to exist on the circle, then you can just overlap them:

Code:
\begin{tikzpicture}
\draw (0,0) circle (1cm);
\draw[->] (1cm, 0) arc [radius = 1cm, start angle= 0, end angle= 70];
\end{tikzpicture}

And you can also get artistic (Tongueout):

Code:
\begin{tikzpicture}
\draw (0,0) circle (1cm);
\foreach \x in {0.2,0.4,...,4.0} \draw[->, ultra thick, red] (\x + 1, 0) arc [radius = \x + 1, start angle= 0, end angle= 70 + \x * 45];
\end{tikzpicture}
 
Last edited:

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