Identify Cylinders, Prisms, Pyramids, Cones, Spheres

Identify Solid Shapes
Identifying solid shapes (also known as 3D shapes or three-dimensional figures) involves recognizing their distinct features, such as faces, edges, vertices, and the shape of their bases. Unlike 2D shapes which have only length and width, 3D shapes also have depth, allowing them to occupy space and have volume.

The following figures show some examples of solid shapes: cubes, rectangular prisms, triangular prisms, cylinders, spheres, cones and pyramids. Scroll down the page for more examples, explanations and worksheets for each shape.

Geometry Worksheets
Practice your skills with the following worksheets:
Printable & Online Geometry Worksheets

1. Cube
   Description: A box-like solid figure with all faces being identical squares.
   Key Features:
   Faces: 6 (all squares)
   Edges: 12
   Vertices: 8
   

2. Rectangular Prism (or Cuboid)
   Description: A box-like solid figure where all faces are rectangles. A cube is a special type of rectangular prism.
   Key Features:
   Faces: 6 (all rectangles)
   Edges: 12
   Vertices: 8
   

3. Triangular Prism
   Description: A prism with two parallel and congruent triangular bases, and three rectangular faces connecting them.
   Key Features:
   Faces: 5 (2 triangles, 3 rectangles)
   Edges: 9
   Vertices: 6
   

4. Cylinder
   Description: A solid figure with two parallel and congruent circular bases connected by a curved surface.
   Key Features:
   Faces: 2 (circular bases), 1 curved surface
   Edges: 0 (straight edges) / 2 (circular edges)
   Vertices: 0
   

5. Square Pyramid
   Description: A pyramid with a square base and four triangular faces that meet at a single point (apex).
   Key Features:
   Faces: 5 (1 square base, 4 triangles)
   Edges: 8
   Vertices: 5 (4 on the base, 1 apex)
   

6. Cone
   Description: A solid figure with a circular base and a single curved surface that tapers to a single point (apex).
   Key Features:
   Faces: 1 (circular base), 1 curved surface
   Edges: 0 (straight edges) / 1 (circular edge)
   Vertices: 1 (the apex)
   

7. Sphere
   Description: A perfectly round three-dimensional object, where every point on its surface is equidistant from its center.
   Key Features:
   Faces: 1 (curved surface)
   Edges: 0
   Vertices: 0
   

Videos

Cylinder, Cone, and Sphere Volume Formulas

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Identify Prisms
Learn to identify prisms and cylinders

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