Difference between 2D and 3D Shapes

In 2D and 3D, the "D" defines the dimensions applied in the shape. The main difference between these shapes is that a 2D shape contains two dimensions, including length and width. In contrast, a 3D shape contains three dimensions, including length, width, and height. These are relatively popular expressions that you may hear on a regular basis. You may employ 2D and 3D in a variety of contexts, including technical drawings, animations, computer graphics, and everyday life.

In this article, you will learn about the difference between 2D and 3D shapes. But before discussing the differences, you must know about 2D and 3D shapes.

What is a 2D Shape?

2D Shape is an abbreviation for "Two Dimensional". A 2D shape includes two dimensions, including length and width. 2D figures are referred to as plane figures or plane shapes because they lie on a flat surface, and 2D shapes contain areas but not volume. The sides of the 2D objects are made up of straight lines, and 2D shapes are drawn with the help of the X-axis and Y-axis.

Applications of 2D Shapes

All parallel projections and one-point perspective projections in an object's plans are created in 2D. Geological maps are also generated in two dimensions, and you utilize the contouring approach to indicate depth with the help of different shapes, which is also used in oceanography.

Types of 2D Shapes

There are several types of 2D shapes. Some of them are as follows:

1. A rectangle contains four sides and four right angles, with opposite sides equal in length.
2. A circle is a curved two-dimensional form with no edges or corners. A circle's surface points are all equidistant from its centre.
3. A square is a two-dimensional geometrical shape that has four right angles and equal sides.
4. A circle, like an oval, has no sides or boundaries. It's a closed 2D plane with a curved face where the points on the circumference aren't all the same distance from the centre.
5. A triangle is a two-dimensional closed plane that contains three angles, three sides, and three vertices.

What is 3D Shape?

3D Shape is an abbreviation for "Three Dimensional". A 3D shape includes three dimensions: length, width, and height or depth. You observe many 3D shapes in our daily lives, such as books, balls, and bottles, which all have three dimensions: length, breadth, and height. 3D shapes also have Areas and Volume because 3D shapes occupy space. 3D shapes are drawn with the help of X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis.

Applications of 3D shapes

These are utilized in a variety of applications, including 3D animations, 3D product design, bridges, tools, 3D graphs, maps, and so on. The 3D shapes assist in showing the object's depth. You employ two and 3-point perspective projection and orthographic projection to demonstrate 3D in engineering.

Types of 3D Shapes

There are various types of 3D shapes. Some of them are as follows:

1. A pyramid is another sort of 3D object having a polygonal base and an apex. It has a flat face because its edges are straight. A tetrahedron is a solid triangular pyramid with four triangular faces. A pentagonal pyramid is a solid pyramid with a pentagonal base and five triangular faces that fulfill at an apex.
2. Cones are three-dimensional geometrical objects with a base and an apex at the top. The base might be circular or oval in shape.
3. A torus is a three-dimensional shape generated by spinning a circle in three dimensions.
4. A cylinder is a three-dimensional geometrical shape that has two flat ends and a curving face in the middle. These two flat ends are circular in shape.

Key differences between 2D Shapes and 3D Shapes

There are various key differences between 2D shapes and 3D shapes. Some of the key differences between 2D shapes and 3D shapes are as follows:

1. 2D shapes have only the x and y-axis. In contrast, 3D shapes have the three axis x, y, and z-axis.
2. The 2D shapes offer a straightforward view of any object. In contrast, the 3D shapes provide an architectural view of any object.
3. The user may easily create details on a 2D shape. In comparison, drawing details in a 3D shape is extremely challenging.
4. 2D shapes are simple to explain because all of the edges of a 2D object are visible. In contrast, only the outside dimensions of 3D forms may be discussed.
5. 2D shapes only occupy an area. On the other hand, 3D shapes occupy both area and volume due to their depth and height.
6. 2D shapes include rectangles, triangles, squares, circles, and any other polygon. In contrast, 3D shapes include cuboids, prism, cylinders, cubes, spheres, cones, pyramids, etc.

Head-to-head comparison between 2D Shapes and 3D Shapes

Here, you will learn head-to-head comparisons between 2D and 3D shapes. The main differences between 2D shapes and 3D shapes are as follows:

Conclusion

In the study of geometry, a two-dimensional shape is a shape or figure that contains both a length and a width. In simple terms, if something has length and breadth dimensions, it is considered two-dimensional. A 3D shape is a solid figure, object, or shape that contains three dimensions (length, breadth, and height). In contrast to 2D shapes, 3D shapes have depth instead of a flat surface.