Meaning of Prism (What is it, Concept and Definition)

What is Prism:

Prism is a point of view or perspective .In mathematics, the prism is a solid geometric figure with flat faces and polygonal base without curves .

The prisms, as figure, are composed of six elements:

• Base (B): formed by two polygons.
• Faces (F): lateral parallelograms and bases, all flat surfaces are counted.
• Height (h): the distance between the bases.
• Vertices (V): are the corners or points where the faces meet.
• Edges (E): are the sides of each face or the segments of the faces that intersect.

The prism is a polyhedron that is characterized by having several flat faces.To identify whether a figure is a polyhedron or not, the result of the following formula must give 2: sum the amount of faces (F) plus the number of vertices (V) minus the number of edges (E).This is Euler's formula or poly formula edro:

Classification of the prisms

The prisms are classified according to the special characteristics of their bases.

Number of sides of the bases of the prisms

The number of sides of a prism will determine the name of the prism.For example:

• A triangular prism is one that has a three-sided base or a triangle as the base.
• A rectangular prism is one that has a four-sided base or a rectangle as a base.
• A pentagonal prism is one that has a five-sided base or a pentagon as a base.

There are, in this way, hexagonal, heptagonal, octagonal prisms, etc.

Regular or irregular base prisms

This classification determines a regular basis when all its sides are of equal length and are circumscribed to a circle.Otherwise, it is considered an irregular base.

Straight or oblique prisms

A straight prism is one whose base is perpendicular to the axes of the p flat oligons that constitute the faces of the prism.An oblique prism has the axes of the polygons, which constitute the faces, joined by an oblique line to its base.

Convex and concave prisms

Convex prisms have bases that are convex polygons, that is, they have sides that tend outwards.Concave prisms, on the other hand, have bases of concave polygons that curve inwards.

Newton's prism

In the field of optics, Newton's prism was the instrument used by Isaac Newton (1643-1727) to study the nature of light.

The scientist used a prism triangular where by refraction of white light, the light was decomposing in the colors of the rainbow.

This phenomenon was the basis of his work Optics , published in 1704, which defined that the different colors were generated by the degree of separation of the light depending on the wavelength of each color.steal, using two prisms, that white light is a mixture of all colors.