1. (in mathematics) A polyhedron with two parallel congruent polygons as bases and parallelograms for all other faces. A triangular prism has triangular bases.
2. (in optics) A block of glass or other transparent material, usually having triangular bases. Prisms have several uses in optical systems: they can be used to deviate a ray, to disperse white light into the visible spectrum, or to erect an inverted image (see binoculars). Prisms of other materials are used for different kinds of radiation. See also Nicol prism; Wollaston prism.
A convex polyhedron with two ‘end’ faces that are congruent convex polygons lying in parallel planes in such a way that, with edges joining corresponding vertices, the remaining faces are parallelograms. A right-regular prism is one in which the two end faces are regular polygons and the remaining faces are rectangular. A right-regular prism in which the rectangular faces are square is semi-regular (see Archimedean solid).
Prism (regular pentagonal ends)
Right-regular (rectangular lateral faces)
A solid block of glass or other transparent substance, with at least two flat faces inclined to each other at an angle called the refracting angle. The intersection of these two faces is called the edge of the prism, and the cross-section at right angles to the edge is known as the prism’s principal section. The main use of prisms in astronomy is to disperse light into a spectrum for spectroscopy; they are also used in binoculars to fold the light path. See also porro prism; roof prism.
A crystal form composed of a number of repeat crystal faces all of which are parallel to one of the principal crystallographic axes (usually the vertical c (or z) axis). See also accretionary prism.
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