Tube
Details and Options
- Tube renders as a circular 3D tube in Graphics3D .
- The radius of the tube can be specified either in absolute coordinates, or as Scaled [s].
- If no explicit radius is specified, Tube uses a small scaled radius.
- Tube [{pt1,pt2,…},{r1,r2,…}] specifies a different tube radius at the position of each of the points pti.
- Tube [{pt1,pt2,…},…] gives a tube consisting of a sequence of straight segments. It is equivalent to Tube [Line [{pt1,…}],…].
- The following curve specifications can be used:
-
- By default, the joins between tube segments are rounded.
- Different forms of joining between tube segments can be specified using JoinForm .
- By default, the ends of the tube are rounded.
- Different caps for the tube can be specified using CapForm .
- CapForm [None ] specifies that the end of the tube should be left open.
- In Tube [curve,…], curve can have head BezierCurve , BSplineCurve , or Line .
- Colors and other material properties of tubes can be specified using color directives as well as Specularity and Glow .
- Tubes can be specified as transparent using Opacity directives.
- Individual coordinates and lists of coordinates in tubes can be Dynamic objects.
Examples
open all close allBasic Examples (4)
A tube primitive:
A tube along a curve:
A tube with radius .1:
Differently styled tubes:
Scope (16)
Tube Specification (7)
Single tube segment:
Multiple connected tube segments:
Multiple disconnected tube segments:
Tubes with different radii:
Radii can also be specified at vertices:
Tubes with scaled radii:
Tube can take a line or curve argument:
Tube Styling (8)
Colored tubes:
Different properties can be specified for the front and back faces using FaceForm :
Tubes with different specular exponents:
White tube that glows red:
Opacity specifies the face opacity:
Tube caps can be specified using CapForm :
Joining of tube segments can be specified using JoinForm :
Colors can be specified at vertices using VertexColors :
Coordinate Specification (1)
Use Scaled coordinates:
Options (1)
VertexColors (1)
Use VertexColors to vary the colors along the tube:
Applications (4)
PieChart3D uses Tube to produce donut charts:
Plot a parametric space curve and replace the curve with a tube:
Tube can be used with Arrow for full 3D arrows:
A random 3D walk:
Use Tube for 3D edges in GraphPlot3D :
Obtain directed edges using Arrow :
Properties & Relations (6)
Use Scale to get an elliptical tube:
Use Arrow with Tube to get a full 3D arrow:
Cone is a special case of Tube :
Get a truncated cone by specifying different radii in Tube :
Cylinder is a special case of Tube :
Get curved cylinder by using additional points:
A parametric specification of a tube generated using ParametricPlot3D :
An implicit specification of a tube generated by ContourPlot3D :
Possible Issues (1)
Tube objects can only use machine-number coordinates:
Neat Examples (4)
A random collection of tube curves:
Tubes with interpolated colors:
Tube curves with interpolated radii:
Using random radii:
See Also
Cylinder Line BezierCurve BSplineCurve Cone Arrow
Function Repository: DashedTube Graphics3DWireFrame
Related Guides
Text
Wolfram Research (2008), Tube, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Tube.html (updated 2010).
CMS
Wolfram Language. 2008. "Tube." Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Wolfram Research. Last Modified 2010. https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Tube.html.
APA
Wolfram Language. (2008). Tube. Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Retrieved from https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Tube.html
BibTeX
@misc{reference.wolfram_2025_tube, author="Wolfram Research", title="{Tube}", year="2010", howpublished="\url{https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Tube.html}", note=[Accessed: 05-December-2025]}
BibLaTeX
@online{reference.wolfram_2025_tube, organization={Wolfram Research}, title={Tube}, year={2010}, url={https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Tube.html}, note=[Accessed: 05-December-2025]}