Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 112 · 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 of these uses a dome? (a) a fort gateway (b) an electric pylon (c) a plank over a drain (d) an igloo
2. 2.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
3. 3.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
4. 4.🔺 A flat frame has 5 straight sides joined by loose pins at the corners. What is the least number of corner-to-corner braces needed to make it rigid?
5. 5.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
6. 6.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
7. 7.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is hollow (b) it works in compression (c) it is very light (d) it bends easily
8. 8.🔺 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?
9. 9.🔺 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?
10. 10.🔺 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
11. 11.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) rectangle (b) hexagon (c) square (d) triangle
12. 12.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 2 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
13. 13.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a fort gateway (d) a truss bridge side
14. 14.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a crane arm (c) an old stone bridge (d) a roof truss
15. 15.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) paint it (b) make it bigger (c) take off a side (d) add a diagonal brace
16. 16.True or false: a round palace roof uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
17. 17.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a planetarium roof (d) a fort gateway
18. 18.🔺 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?
19. 19.True or false: a slab over a canal uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
20. 20.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a crane arm (c) an electric pylon (d) a round palace roof
21. 21.🔺 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?
22. 22.🔺 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
23. 23.🔺 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?
24. 24.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) stretched (tension) (b) floating (c) squeezed (compression) (d) not affected
25. 25.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a plank over a drain
26. 26.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
27. 27.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an igloo (b) an old stone bridge (c) a roof truss (d) a slab over a canal
28. 28.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a roof truss (b) a slab over a canal (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a lintel over a door
29. 29.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
30. 30.🔺 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?
31. 31.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
32. 32.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
33. 33.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 3 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
34. 34.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a roof truss (b) a lintel over a door (c) a crane arm (d) a truss bridge side
35. 35.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
36. 36.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
37. 37.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
38. 38.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
39. 39.🔺 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?
40. 40.True or false: a slab over a canal uses an arch. (a) False (b) True

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