Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 105 · 40 questions

Engineer's tip (Triangles stay put): Triangles are rigid; trusses, towers and frames use them. A pin-jointed frame with n sides needs n − 3 corner-to-corner braces; a row of n triangles uses 2n + 1 straws. Arches squeeze (compression); beams span gaps; domes are arches turned round in a circle.

1. 1.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
2. 2.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
3. 3.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a round palace roof (c) a fort gateway (d) a slab over a canal
4. 4.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a round palace roof (b) an old stone bridge (c) a bicycle frame (d) a shelf on two brackets
5. 5.True or false: a round palace roof uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
6. 6.🔺 A frame shaped like a triangle is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 0 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
7. 7.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a slab over a canal (c) an igloo (d) a curved stone doorway
8. 8.True or false: a fort gateway uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
9. 9.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 3 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) wobbly (b) rigid
10. 10.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) not affected (b) floating (c) stretched (tension) (d) squeezed (compression)
11. 11.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
12. 12.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a roof truss (c) an old stone bridge (d) a truss bridge side
13. 13.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an igloo (b) a roof truss (c) a lintel over a door (d) a fort gateway
14. 14.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) rectangle (b) square (c) hexagon (d) triangle
15. 15.True or false: a round palace roof uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
16. 16.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 0 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
17. 17.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
18. 18.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
19. 19.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
20. 20.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
21. 21.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 7 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
22. 22.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
23. 23.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
24. 24.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) take off a side (b) paint it (c) make it bigger (d) add a diagonal brace
25. 25.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 4 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
26. 26.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a roof truss (c) a round palace roof (d) a curved stone doorway
27. 27.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) an old stone bridge (d) a curved stone doorway
28. 28.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 15 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
29. 29.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
30. 30.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
31. 31.True or false: a truss bridge side uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
32. 32.🔺 A frame shaped like a pentagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 2 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
33. 33.True or false: a round palace roof uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
34. 34.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
35. 35.True or false: a slab over a canal uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
36. 36.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
37. 37.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a round palace roof (c) a slab over a canal (d) a truss bridge side
38. 38.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
39. 39.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
40. 40.🔺 A flat frame has 10 straight sides joined by loose pins at the corners. What is the least number of corner-to-corner braces needed to make it rigid?

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