Which of the following best describes a prism?

A prism is best described as a polyhedron that has two parallel, congruent bases. This means that a prism consists of two identical surfaces that are aligned with each other, and the other faces of the prism—those that connect the bases—are typically parallelograms. The bases can take on various shapes, such as triangles, rectangles, pentagons, etc., making the prism a versatile 3-dimensional shape. The properties of having parallel and congruent bases ensure that the column-like structure retains its volume and shape as it extends between the two bases.

In contrast, other options describe different types of shapes or features. For instance, a three-dimensional shape with curved surfaces is a characteristic of solids like cylinders or spheres, while a shape with only one face could refer to a shape like a disk or a cone, which is not applicable to prisms. A solid with no edges describes spheres or other rounded shapes, which also do not meet the definition of a prism. Therefore, the first choice accurately captures the essential characteristics of a prism.