prismaticblock

Prismaticblock is a term used in some geometric, computational geometry, and voxel-based graphics discussions to describe a three-dimensional primitive formed by extruding a polygonal base along a straight axis. In this sense, a prismaticblock can be any prism: triangular, rectangular, pentagonal, or more generally n-gonal, provided the two bases are congruent polygons parallel to each other and the side faces are parallelograms. The height of the block is the distance of extrusion between the bases. The shape is a right prism if the extrusion is perpendicular to the base plane; otherwise it is an oblique prism.

Properties typically associated with a prismaticblock include having two parallel, congruent bases and a set of rectangular or parallelogram side faces. The volume is the product of the base area and the extrusion height. Surface area depends on the base perimeter, the height, and the number of base sides. Cross-sections parallel to the bases remain similar to the base polygon, and the lateral faces form a uniform belt around the block.

Construction and use: In voxel-based rendering and tiling, prismaticblocks serve as flexible building units for representing columns, beams, and prisms with non-square cross-sections. They can approximate curved surfaces by stacking blocks with varying cross-sections along an axis. In mesh generation and modeling workflows, they provide a simple extrusion-based primitive for constructing prism-like shapes.

Note: the term is not universally standardized and is often used interchangeably with “prism” or described informally to emphasize a block-like prism within a grid. See also prism; prismatoid; polyhedron; voxel; tiling.