Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 106 · 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.🔺 A frame shaped like a pentagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 0 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) wobbly (b) rigid
2. 2.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) hexagon (b) rectangle (c) triangle (d) square
3. 3.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it bends easily (b) it is hollow (c) it works in compression (d) it is very light
4. 4.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
5. 5.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a slab over a canal (c) an old stone bridge (d) a fort gateway
6. 6.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a fort gateway (b) a slab over a canal (c) a roof truss (d) a plank over a drain
7. 7.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
8. 8.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 6 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
9. 9.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) make it bigger (b) add a diagonal brace (c) take off a side (d) paint it
10. 10.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
11. 11.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
12. 12.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 9 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
13. 13.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) stretched (tension) (b) not affected (c) floating (d) squeezed (compression)
14. 14.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a crane arm (b) a bicycle frame (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a round palace roof
15. 15.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) an electric pylon (c) a planetarium roof (d) an old stone bridge
16. 16.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
17. 17.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 1 triangle standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
18. 18.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
19. 19.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a lintel over a door (c) a slab over a canal (d) a roof truss
20. 20.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
21. 21.🔺 A flat frame has 8 straight sides joined by loose pins at the corners. What is the least number of corner-to-corner braces needed to make it rigid?
22. 22.True or false: a planetarium roof uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
23. 23.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a crane arm (c) an electric pylon (d) a curved stone doorway
24. 24.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
25. 25.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
26. 26.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 10 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
27. 27.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
28. 28.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an old stone bridge (b) an igloo (c) a lintel over a door (d) an electric pylon
29. 29.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
30. 30.🔺 A flat frame has 6 straight sides joined by loose pins at the corners. What is the least number of corner-to-corner braces needed to make it rigid?
31. 31.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a truss bridge side (c) a plank over a drain (d) a slab over a canal
32. 32.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 14 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
33. 33.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 2 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
34. 34.🔺 A frame shaped like a square is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 0 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
35. 35.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
36. 36.True or false: a lintel over a door uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
37. 37.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 5 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
38. 38.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
39. 39.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a crane arm (b) an electric pylon (c) a round palace roof (d) a slab over a canal
40. 40.🔺 A frame shaped like a pentagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 1 corner-to-corner brace. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) wobbly (b) rigid

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