Understanding Prisms and Polyhedra
Uploaded by
AngieLeeUnderstanding Prisms and Polyhedra
Uploaded by
AngieLeePrisms
Studies into Polyhedra - Prisms
Look around the Graphics Lab Regular, Semi-Regular Polyhedra, and thier Duals (first page) Prisms, Anti-prisms, Pryamids, and related Polyhedra Miscellanous Polyhedra: Deltahedra Johnson Solids -- The other convex polyhedra with regular faces Why I studied polyhedra, and Image Generation Techniques Known Polyhedral Mathematical Formula Data Sources and links for Polyhedral Data
Prisms, Anti-prisms, Pyramids, and related Polyhedra
These sets consist of infinite series, and are generally generated using a standard formula from two polygons of the same type. These polygons do not even have to be regular or even convex polygons, though the anti-prism formula would require some regularity to the starting polygon.
Prisms
Take two polygons and connect together with vertical edges of the same length to form squares. Each vertex has 3 edges, the new edge being at right angles to the edges of the original polygonal interface. The cylinder is a special 'infinite' case of this class. This method is also known as elongation of the original polygons (See Johnson Solids).
triangular_prism off vrml wikipedia
square_prism off vrml wikipedia
pentagonal_prism off vrml wikipedia
hexagonal_prism off vrml wikipedia
octagonal_prism off vrml wikipedia
decagonal_prism off vrml wikipedia
Note: A "Square Prism" is more commonly known as a "Cube".
Anti-prisms
Join the polygons with triangles. each vertex will then have 4 edges, contectin the upper polygon with its lower polygon which is twisted slightly. The method of connecting is also known as gryo-elongation of the polygons. (See Johnson Solids).
triangular_antiprism off vrml wikipedia
square_antiprism off vrml wikipedia
pentagonal_antiprism off vrml wikipedia
hexagonal_antiprism off vrml wikipedia
octagonal_antiprism off vrml wikipedia
decagonal_antiprism off vrml wikipedia
Note: A "Triangular Antiprism" is also the platonic "Octahedron".
Prism Duals, or Di-Pyramids and Bi-Pyramids
These may look like di-pyramids with unequal edge lengths but are much more specific. They are formed by taking the dual of a prism. As the number of edges of the original polygon increases, the pyramids become very long pointy.
triangular_dipyramid off vrml wikipedia
square_dipyramid off vrml wikipedia
pentagonal_dipyramid off vrml wikipedia
hexagonal_bipyramid off vrml wikipedia
octagonal_bipyramid off vrml wikipedia
decagonal_bipyramid off vrml wikipedia
The the "Square Di-pyramid" which also the a "Octahedron".
Anti-prism Duals or Trapezohedron
In a simular way these are the duals of a anti-prism. The faces are all kite shaped quadrilaterals, and like dual-prisms become very long as the number of faces increase.
triangular_trapezohedr square_trapezohedron pentagonal_trapezohedr on off vrml on off vrml wikipedia off vrml wikipedia wikipedia
hexagonal_trapezohedr octagonal_trapezohedro decagonal_trapezohedr on n on off vrml off vrml off vrml wikipedia wikipedia wikipedia The "Triangular Antiprism Dual" is also a "Cube".
ASIDE: the "Pentagonal Prism Dual" and "Pentagonal Antiprism Dual" are the only polyhedra that made a good ten-sided dice. The later is usually used as the points are better distributed, and are common in the paper and dice fantasy games such as advanced Dungons and Dragons.
Pyramids and Di-Pyramids
Basically forming a tent on a polygon. Note however that only three of these can be formed using edges of equal length, built using a triangle (forming a tetrahedron), a square (regular or square pyramid, like in Egypt), and a pentagon (or "pentagonal pyramid"). If you try this with a hexagon, the object is flat, with six triangles on top of the hexagon, and no volume. After that it's impossible, unless you use longer edges to form the pyramid, but then the object will not conform to any . In other words, there are only three true pyramid polyhedra...
triangular_pyramid square_pyramid pentagonal_pyramid off vrml off vrml off vrml wikipedia wikipedia wikipedia Adding a pyramid to both sides of the original polygon will produce di-pryamids.
triangular_dipyramid square_dipyramid pentagonal_dipyramid off vrml off vrml off vrml wikipedia wikipedia wikipedia The "Triangular Pyramid" is a platonic "Tetrahedron", and the "Square Dipyramid" is a "Octohedron". The other four pyramidal solids form part the Johnson Solids Series (In sequence #1 #2 #12 and #13). Aside: Note that the famous Egyptian Pyramid does NOT conform to a regular square pyramid, but has angles which is thought to be of astronomical relevence, rather than mathematically.
Cupolas, Bi-cupolas
These are gem like polygons which are formed by joining a polygon to another polygon with double the number of edges, using squares and triangles. Again only three such Cupolas exist.
triangular_cupola square_cupola pentagonal_cupola off vrml off vrml off vrml wikipedia wikipedia wikipedia Bicupolas are like pyramids, just two of the objects joined back to back. In each case however they can be joined together in two different ways, ortho-bi-cupola, are mirrored across the join, and gryo-bi-cupola have a small twist so two triangles are not connected together by an edge.
triangular_orthobicupola off vrml wikipedia
square_orthobicupola off vrml wikipedia
pentagonal_orthobicupola off vrml wikipedia
triangular_gyrobicupola square_gyrobicupola pentagonal_gyrobicupola off vrml off vrml off vrml wikipedia wikipedia wikipedia The "Triangular Gyrobicupola" is also the Archimedian Solid "Cuboctahedron", so is the only object not part of the Johnson Solids. Created: 30 April 2001 Updated: 26 September 2003 Author: Anthony Thyssen, <anthony@[Link]> URL: [Link]