Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

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

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