Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 115 · 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 bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
2. 2.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
3. 3.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) an electric pylon (c) a fort gateway (d) a round palace roof
4. 4.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) an igloo (d) an electric pylon
5. 5.🔺 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?
6. 6.🔺 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
7. 7.🔺 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?
8. 8.🔺 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?
9. 9.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a crane arm (b) an igloo (c) a fort gateway (d) a planetarium roof
10. 10.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
11. 11.🔺 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?
12. 12.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) hexagon (b) rectangle (c) square (d) triangle
13. 13.🔺 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?
14. 14.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) make it bigger (b) take off a side (c) add a diagonal brace (d) paint it
15. 15.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a roof truss (c) a round palace roof (d) a shelf on two brackets
16. 16.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it works in compression (b) it bends easily (c) it is hollow (d) it is very light
17. 17.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a slab over a canal (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a plank over a drain
18. 18.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
19. 19.🔺 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?
20. 20.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
21. 21.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
22. 22.🔺 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?
23. 23.True or false: an old stone bridge uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
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 strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
26. 26.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a crane arm (b) an electric pylon (c) a truss bridge side (d) an old stone bridge
27. 27.🔺 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?
28. 28.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
29. 29.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) stretched (tension) (b) squeezed (compression) (c) not affected (d) floating
30. 30.True or false: a bicycle frame uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
31. 31.True or false: an electric pylon uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
32. 32.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
33. 33.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a lintel over a door (d) a round palace roof
34. 34.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
35. 35.🔺 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?
36. 36.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
37. 37.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
38. 38.🔺 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?
39. 39.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
40. 40.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a lintel over a door (c) a truss bridge side (d) a planetarium roof

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