A prism is a three-dimensional geometric shape that has two parallel and congruent bases connected by rectangular or parallelogram faces. The most common type of prism is the rectangular prism, which includes shapes like boxes. The sides of a prism that connect the bases are called lateral faces, and these can take various forms depending on the shape of the base.
To visualize a prism, imagine cutting a shape like a triangle or square and extending it upwards into the third dimension, keeping the top and bottom shapes identical. For example, if you take a triangle and extend it upward, you create a triangular prism. The defining characteristic of a prism is that its cross-section remains the same along its height, meaning that if you cut through the prism parallel to the bases, you’ll always get the same shape.
Prisms also come in different types based on the shape of their bases, such as triangular prisms, rectangular prisms, pentagonal prisms, and so on. Because of their geometric properties, prisms are commonly found in everyday objects such as glass windows, packaging boxes, and even in the field of optics where they can refract light.