Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 111 · 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 crane arm uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
2. 2.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a bicycle frame (c) an igloo (d) a lintel over a door
3. 3.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
4. 4.True or false: a round palace roof uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
5. 5.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
6. 6.🔺 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?
7. 7.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
8. 8.🔺 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
9. 9.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
10. 10.🔺 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?
11. 11.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a lintel over a door (c) an igloo (d) an old stone bridge
12. 12.🔺 A flat frame has 4 straight sides joined by loose pins at the corners. What is the least number of corner-to-corner braces needed to make it rigid?
13. 13.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a lintel over a door (d) a planetarium roof
14. 14.🔺 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
15. 15.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
16. 16.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an electric pylon (b) a roof truss (c) a round palace roof (d) a slab over a canal
17. 17.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 12 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
18. 18.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
19. 19.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
20. 20.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
21. 21.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a crane arm (c) a roof truss (d) a slab over a canal
22. 22.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
23. 23.🔺 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
24. 24.🔺 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?
25. 25.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) rectangle (b) hexagon (c) triangle (d) square
26. 26.🔺 A flat frame has 11 straight sides joined by loose pins at the corners. What is the least number of corner-to-corner braces needed to make it rigid?
27. 27.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) add a diagonal brace (b) take off a side (c) paint it (d) make it bigger
28. 28.True or false: a planetarium roof uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
29. 29.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 1 corner-to-corner brace. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
30. 30.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a roof truss (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a round palace roof (d) a lintel over a door
31. 31.🔺 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
32. 32.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a crane arm (b) an old stone bridge (c) a plank over a drain (d) a fort gateway
33. 33.True or false: a slab over a canal uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
34. 34.🔺 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?
35. 35.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
36. 36.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an electric pylon (b) a planetarium roof (c) an old stone bridge (d) a slab over a canal
37. 37.🔺 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
38. 38.🔺 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
39. 39.🔺 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?
40. 40.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam

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