Volume of Prism

A three-dimensional solid figure with flat faces whose two similar ends are parallel, rectilinear and equal also whose different sides are identical parallelograms is known as a prism. Those two similar ends are called bases. Those bases can be of many shapes such as triangular, rectangular, square, or any type of another polygon. Volume of a prism is defined as the space occupied by the prism. Volume is measured in the units of cubic. One has to be sure before calculating the volume of the prism that all the values of the measurements of all should be in the same unit.

volume of a prism

A prism can be in the shape of a triangle, rectangle, square, or any type of polygons such as pentagon, hexagon, and many more. All the different sides of the prism may be the same or not but sure be identical parallelograms. All the bases should be of similar ends. Volume of a prism is explained as the spaces occupied by the prism in any plain. Volume of a prism is calculated in the units’ name of a cubic unit such as feet cube, inch cube, centimeter cube, meter cube. One has to be sure that all the measurements should be in the same units as if centimeter cubes volume needs to be found out then all the values should be in centimeters. To calculate the volume only the value of the area and height is needed to be known. Value of the area to be known previously or calculated differently to calculate the volume of the prism directly depends on the cross-sectional of the prism or the base of the prism. By knowing the value of the base it will be very easy to find out the volume of the prisms. Different types of prisms in our daily life are corrugated boxes, Rubik’s cubes, ice cubes, or other examples are books or notebooks, chocolate bars, building blocks, tents, nuts, unshaped pencils, tissue boxes, dice, storage box, honeycomb, and many more.

volume of a prism formula

A polyhedron figure is called a prism with flat faces and similar ends called bases. The volume of a prism can be calculated by a specific formula that depends on the area and the height.

Volume of prism = Base of prism height

There are different types of prisms; triangular prisms, rectangular prisms, square prisms, pentagonal prisms, and hexagonal prisms.

Triangular prism:

A prism has three faces of rectangular and two bases of triangular because the cross-section is the triangle in the case of a triangular prism. Formula of the volume of a triangular prism is:

Volume of Triangular prism = (½ )×a×b h  cubic units

Where

a = length of the triangular prism

b = base of the triangular prism

h = height of the triangular prism

Rectangular prism:

A prism that has four rectangular faces and two parallel bases is rectangular. The cross-section is a rectangle in the case of rectangular prisms. A rectangular prism is sometimes called Cuboid.

Hence formula for the Volume of Rectangular prism = l b h cubic units

Where

l = Base width of the rectangular prism

b = Base length of the rectangular prism

h = Height of the rectangular prism

Square prisms:

A prism that has every side as equal sides is called the square prism, Cross-section of the square prism is a rectangle prism.

The volume of  square prism = Base area height = a^2× h

Where

a = side of the prism

a² = Area of the square prism

h = height of the prism

Application of prism volume in calculation

Different applications of the prism volume in the calculation are seen in various fields. Applications are mostly used in the field of scientific usages such as periscopes, telescopes, and microscopes. Scientists are also using the prism in the case of experiments to study the human eye’s reaction in the presence of light. Prisms represent any kind of three-dimensional shape addition of two faces of the same shape and size with parallelogram sides. Usage of prisms is done by the reflecting of light by prisms, refraction of prisms which is exclusive to every optical study.  In general, the use of prisms is also important for the case of architecture, in the case of ophthalmology. Light manipulation figure of prism used in architectural projects which are used during the construction and drawing. For example in Sweden Architects use triangle prisms as their common tool for construction design as slopes of the house’s shape helps to shed the snow. First skyscraper which was built is nothing but a huge rectangular prism. In the scientific case of ophthalmology, doctors are using prisms from the b19th century to treat the different diseases of the eyes such as esotropia, exotropia, amblyopia, and nystagmus. Ophthalmologists use the direct light reflected from the prism to enter into the eyes and enhance the vision of the patient and different types of mirrors are also applied to the prisms.

Conclusion

A polygon figure is a prism used basically in different fields and the volume of the prism helps to know the space that has been occupied by the figure. Volume of the prism has been stated clearly with clear vision. And the formulation of the volume of the prism is described precisely with formulas. Different applications of the prism are also stated as this is also used in the case of corrective lenses of vision for individuals suffering from diseases of the eyes or specific types of disease.