Cross Sections
A cross section is the shape we get when cutting straight through an object.
The cross section of this prism is a triangle
It's like viewing the inside of something by cutting through it.
A cross section of a piece of celery.
Example: Sliced Loaf of Bread
When we slice a loaf of bread, each slice forms a cross section of the loaf at that location.
The shape of the slice depends on how we cut it.
The cross section is the flat face of the slice (a 2D shape), not the slice of bread itself, which has thickness and is 3D.
Geometry
In geometry it is the shape made when a solid is cut through by a plane.
We don't draw the rest of the object, just the shape made when we cut through.
Cross sections are usually parallel to the base like above, but can be in any direction.
Example:
The vertical cross section through the center of this torus is two circles!
And the horizontal cross section is an annulus
More Examples of Cross Sections
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| Cube: | Cross Section: |
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| Pentagonal Prism: | Cross Section: |
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