Concept in Definition ABC
Miscellanea / / July 04, 2021
By Cecilia Bembibre, in Abr. 2010
The term prism can be used in different settings with different explanations. In a general sense, the first and most elementary meaning of the term prism is that which has to do with the geometry. For the same, the prism is a polyhedron (that is, a figure with flat faces that are numerous and with a volume finite internal). As a polyhedron, the prism has several plane faces, two of them being equal in terms of surface area and the other two disproportionate or parallelograms. The prism is one of the geometric figures more interesting.
The prism can also be analyzed optically, and this is where it really becomes interesting. Due to its irregular shape, the prism has the ability to absorb the light that passes through it to decompose it and reflect it in the form of colors, the colors of the Rainbow. Science establishes that light, when passing through this body, loses its velocity initial for which your direction it looks slightly altered and, in addition, it transforms into color. In the world of optics, we find three types of prisms: reflective prisms (the most common), polarizing prisms and dispersive prisms. Each of them performs a different function and is thus used for different purposes not only by science but also also in the daily life of any of us (for example, reflective prisms are present in the binoculars).
The prism has always been an element of particular interest to humans, especially with regard to the ability to transform light into colors. The idea of the prism that transforms light into a beautiful spectrum rainbow color is almost immediately linkable to the very famous disc cover 'The Dark Side of The Moon', by the English band Pink Floyd, which has a recognizable design of a prism and that is considered one of the best albums in rock history.
Themes in Prisma