what is a prism

A prism is a three-dimensional solid object that is bound on all its sides by plane faces. It has two identical ends, called bases, which can be any shape, such as a triangle, square, rectangle, or any n-sided polygon. The faces of the prism are parallelograms or rectangles without the bases. The top and bottom faces of a prism are identical and are called bases. The other faces of a prism are called its lateral faces, and they are all identical to each other and belong to the class of parallelograms. Prisms are named after the shape of their bases, for example, a prism with a triangular base is called a triangular prism. Prisms are used in optics to analyze and reflect light, and in spectroscopes to determine the identity and structure of materials that emit or absorb light.