Curved Solids
Curved Solids
Explore curved 3D shapes with this free interactive geometry tool. Curved Solids lets students rotate and reshape a sphere, oblate spheroid, prolate spheroid, ellipsoid, and torus. Compare their curved surfaces and discover how changing their dimensions affects their appearance.
How to Use Curved Solids
- Select a shape using the buttons on the left.
- Drag the solid to view it from different angles.
- Use the Shape slider to flatten or stretch a sphere.
- Select Ellipsoid to adjust width, height, and depth independently.
- Select Torus to change its ring size and tube thickness.
- Turn on Axes to see the three directions through the solid, or choose Auto Rotate to watch it turn.
Explore Shapes in Three Dimensions
Challenge students to make a flattened spheroid, stretch an ellipsoid, or create a torus with a larger hole. Ask them to describe what changed and what stayed the same. This virtual geometry manipulative supports shape vocabulary, comparison, and spatial reasoning during classroom demonstrations, small-group lessons, or independent exploration.
For a focused, classroom-ready library of virtual manipulatives in an ad-free workspace, visit Manipulatives.com.