PHYSIX — A Plain‑Text Reference for Real Physics
Tagline: An ASCII‑first, strict‑realism notation layer for physics and mathematics — faithful to established laws, optimized for programmers, students, and low‑bandwidth environments.
Disclaimer and Scope
Disclaimer: PHYSIX is a notation and pedagogy project. It does not propose new physical laws, alter SI units, or introduce speculative mechanisms. All formulas and definitions are intended to be isomorphic with standard physics; PHYSIX only changes presentation, not content.
Scope: 4D Minkowski spacetime; classical mechanics; electromagnetism; quantum mechanics and quantum information; thermodynamics; no quantum gravity, no extra dimensions, no new constants.
Abstract
PHYSIX provides a compact, unambiguous ASCII notation for mainstream physics. It prioritizes:
Readability in plain text editors, terminals, and chat.
Programmer ergonomics for code comments, documentation, and reproducible notes.
Pedagogical clarity for students and instructors who prefer keyboard‑native symbols.
Faithfulness to SI and conventional definitions; tau ((\tau)) is supported as an optional circle constant.
This document is a reference: definitions, canonical formulas, and a small quantum information primer expressed in ASCII.
Core Principles
Remodel, do not rewrite. Preserve mathematical equivalence with standard formulations.
ASCII first. Map Greek and special symbols to short, mnemonic ASCII tokens.
Single source of truth. Each symbol and constant has one canonical ASCII representation.
Human and machine friendly. Text should be copy/paste safe and parseable by simple scripts.
Notation Mapping and Constants
SymbolASCIIMeaning tautauCircle constant (2\pi) (optional) pipiCircle constant (\pi) hbarhbarReduced Planck constant (\hbar) ccSpeed of light in vacuum GGGravitational constant kBkBBoltzmann constant eeElementary charge eps0eps0Vacuum permittivity mu0mu0Vacuum permeability
Formatting rules: Use * for multiplication, ^ for powers, / for division, [] for matrices, |psi> for kets, <phi| for bras, and @ for function application when helpful (e.g., f@x).
Canonical Formulas in ASCII
Metric (signature - + + +):
ds^2 = -c^2 dt^2 + dx^2 + dy^2 + dz^2
Relativistic energy:
E^2 = (pc)^2 + (m c^2)^2
Maxwell equations (SI, differential):
div E = rho/eps0
div B = 0
curl E = -dB/dt
curl B = mu0 J + mu0 eps0 dE/dt
Schrodinger equation (time dependent):
i hbar d/dt |psi(t)> = H |psi(t)>
Thermal relation:
dS = dQ_rev / T
Quantum Information Primer (ASCII)
Qubit state: |psi> = a|0> + b|1>, with |a|^2 + |b|^2 = 1
Density matrix: rho = sum_i p_i |psi_i><psi_i|
Von Neumann entropy: S(rho) = -Tr[rho log rho]
Fidelity: F(rho,sigma) = (Tr[sqrt[sqrt[rho] sigma sqrt[rho]]])^2
Bell state (one example): |Phi+> = (|00> + |11>)/sqrt(2)
Unitary evolution: rho(t) = U rho(0) U^†
Include short code snippets in documentation where helpful, e.g., Python‑style pseudocode for constructing density matrices and computing fidelity.
Pedagogical Examples
Example 1 — Harmonic oscillator energy levels:
E_n = hbar omega (n + 1/2)Example 2 — Two‑level Rabi oscillation (resonant):
P_exc(t) = sin^2( (Omega_R t)/2 )
Each example should show the ASCII formula, a one‑line explanation, and a minimal numeric example (values and computed result).
Limitations and Conventions
Units: Use SI units by default. When using
tauinstead ofpi, state it explicitly at the top of the document or section.No new physics: PHYSIX is not a research proposal. It is a notation standard and teaching aid.
Accessibility: Favor plain text and avoid inline images; when diagrams are necessary, use simple ASCII diagrams or link to separate downloadable figures.
Versioning and Contribution
Version: 1.0 — YYYY‑MM‑DD
Changelog: Keep a short, dated list of edits (format: YYYY-MM-DD — Summary).
Contributing: Use a single Markdown file per section; prefer small, focused pull requests that change notation or clarify examples. Include unit tests for any code snippets.
Minimal Implementation Checklist
Create a PHYSIX README with the sections above.
Add a constants table as machine‑readable JSON or CSV for programmatic use.
Provide three tutorial pages: Basics, Quantum Info, Worked Examples.
Add a lite student summary (one page) and a full reference (detailed formulas and derivations).
### PHYSIX — Site Ready Rewrite
# PHYSIX
**An ASCII first notation layer for mainstream physics and mathematics — faithful to established laws, optimized for programmers, students, and low‑bandwidth environments.**
---
### Disclaimer and Scope
**Disclaimer:** PHYSIX is a notation and pedagogy project. It **does not** propose new physical laws, alter SI units, or introduce speculative mechanisms. All formulas and definitions are mathematically equivalent to standard physics; PHYSIX changes presentation, not content.
**Scope:** 4D Minkowski spacetime; classical mechanics; electromagnetism; quantum mechanics and quantum information; thermodynamics. No quantum gravity, no extra dimensions, no invented constants.
---
### Abstract
PHYSIX provides a compact, unambiguous ASCII notation for mainstream physics. It prioritizes **readability** in plain text editors and terminals, **programmer ergonomics** for code and documentation, and **pedagogical clarity** for students and instructors. Tau (`tau`) is supported as an optional circle constant. This document is a reference: canonical symbols, formulas, and a concise quantum information primer expressed in ASCII and accompanied by standard mathematical notation.
---
### Core Principles
- **Remodel, do not rewrite.** Preserve mathematical equivalence with standard formulations.
- **ASCII first.** Map Greek and special symbols to short, mnemonic ASCII tokens.
- **Single canonical mapping.** Each symbol and constant has one preferred ASCII representation.
- **Human and machine friendly.** Text should be copy/paste safe and parseable by simple scripts.
---
### Notation Mapping and Constants
| **Symbol** | **ASCII** | **Meaning** |
|---|---:|---|
| **tau** | **tau** | Circle constant \(2\pi\) (optional) |
| **pi** | **pi** | Circle constant \(\pi\) |
| **hbar** | **hbar** | Reduced Planck constant \(\hbar\) |
| **c** | **c** | Speed of light in vacuum |
| **G** | **G** | Gravitational constant |
| **kB** | **kB** | Boltzmann constant |
| **e** | **e** | Elementary charge |
| **eps0** | **eps0** | Vacuum permittivity |
| **mu0** | **mu0** | Vacuum permeability |
**Formatting rules:** Use `*` for multiplication, `^` for powers, `/` for division, `[]` for matrices, `|psi>` for kets, `<phi|` for bras, and `@` for function application when helpful (for example `f@x`).
---
### Canonical Formulas
#### Metric and Spacetime
**ASCII:**
```
ds^2 = -c^2 dt^2 + dx^2 + dy^2 + dz^2
```
**Math:**
\[
ds^{2} = -c^{2}\,dt^{2} + dx^{2} + dy^{2} + dz^{2}
\]
#### Relativistic Energy
**ASCII:**
```
E^2 = (p c)^2 + (m c^2)^2
```
**Math:**
\[
E^{2} = (p c)^{2} + (m c^{2})^{2}
\]
#### Maxwell Equations in SI Differential Form
**ASCII:**
```
div E = rho/eps0
div B = 0
curl E = -dB/dt
curl B = mu0 J + mu0 eps0 dE/dt
```
**Math:**
\[
\nabla\cdot \mathbf{E} = \frac{\rho}{\varepsilon_{0}}
\qquad
\nabla\cdot \mathbf{B} = 0
\]
\[
\nabla\times \mathbf{E} = -\frac{\partial \mathbf{B}}{\partial t}
\qquad
\nabla\times \mathbf{B} = \mu_{0}\mathbf{J} + \mu_{0}\varepsilon_{0}\frac{\partial \mathbf{E}}{\partial t}
\]
#### Schrödinger Equation
**ASCII:**
```
i hbar d/dt |psi(t)> = H |psi(t)>
```
**Math:**
\[
i\hbar\,\frac{d}{dt}\,|\psi(t)\rangle = H\,|\psi(t)\rangle
\]
#### Thermodynamics
**ASCII:**
```
dS = dQ_rev / T
```
**Math:**
\[
dS = \frac{dQ_{\text{rev}}}{T}
\]
---
### Quantum Information Primer
**Qubit state**
**ASCII:**
```
|psi> = a|0> + b|1> with |a|^2 + |b|^2 = 1
```
**Density matrix**
**ASCII:**
```
rho = sum_i p_i |psi_i><psi_i|
```
**Von Neumann entropy**
**ASCII:**
```
S(rho) = -Tr[rho log rho]
```
**Fidelity**
**ASCII:**
```
F(rho,sigma) = (Tr[sqrt[sqrt[rho] sigma sqrt[rho]]])^2
```
**Bell state example**
**ASCII:**
```
|Phi+> = (|00> + |11>)/sqrt(2)
```
**Unitary evolution**
**ASCII:**
```
rho(t) = U rho(0) U^†
```
Include short, runnable pseudocode examples for constructing density matrices and computing fidelity in Python style where helpful.
---
### Pedagogical Examples
#### Harmonic Oscillator Energy Levels
**ASCII:**
```
E_n = hbar omega (n + 1/2)
```
**Math:**
\[
E_{n} = \hbar \omega \left(n + \tfrac{1}{2}\right)
\]
**One line explanation:** Energy eigenvalues for the quantum harmonic oscillator.
#### Two Level Rabi Oscillation Resonant Case
**ASCII:**
```
P_exc(t) = sin^2( (Omega_R t)/2 )
```
**Math:**
\[
P_{\text{exc}}(t) = \sin^{2}\!\left(\frac{\Omega_{R} t}{2}\right)
\]
**One line explanation:** Probability of excitation under resonant Rabi drive.
Each example should show the ASCII formula, a one‑line explanation, and a minimal numeric example with values and computed result.
---
### Limitations and Conventions
- **Units:** Use SI units by default. When using `tau` instead of `pi`, state it explicitly at the top of the section.
- **No new physics:** PHYSIX is a notation standard and teaching aid, not a research proposal.
- **Accessibility:** Favor plain text and avoid inline images. When diagrams are necessary, use simple ASCII diagrams or link to separate downloadable figures.
- **Canonical mapping:** If a new ASCII token is proposed, document it in the constants table and add a short justification.
---
### Versioning and Contribution
**Version:** 1.0 — 2026-02-18
**Changelog:**
- **2026-02-18** — Initial public release: notation mapping, canonical formulas, quantum information primer.
**Contributing:**
- Use a single Markdown file per section.
- Prefer small, focused pull requests that change notation or clarify examples.
- Include unit tests for any code snippets.
- Add a short entry to the changelog for every accepted change.
---
### Minimal Implementation Checklist
- **PHYSIX README** with the sections above.
- **Constants table** exported as machine‑readable JSON or CSV.
- **Three tutorial pages**: Basics, Quantum Information, Worked Examples.
- **PHYSIX Lite** one‑page handout for students.
- **Changelog** and contribution guidelines.
---