Surface (mathematics)

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In mathematics, a surface is a generalization of a plane, which is not necessarily flat – that is, the curvature is not necessarily zero. This is analogous to a curve generalizing a straight line. There are many more precise definitions, depending on the context and the mathematical tools that are used to analyze the surface.

The mathematical concept of a surface is an idealization of what is meant by surface in science, computer graphics, and common language.

In computer graphicspolyhedral surface such that all facets are triangles. The combinatorial study of such arrangements of triangles (or, more generally, of higher-dimensional simplexes) is the starting object of algebraic topology. This allows the characterization of the properties of surfaces in terms of purely algebraic invariants, such as the genus and homology groups.
The homeomorphism classes of surfaces have been completely described (see Surface (topology)).