Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 118 · 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 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?
2. 2.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
3. 3.🔺 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
4. 4.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
5. 5.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
6. 6.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a round palace roof (b) a fort gateway (c) a lintel over a door (d) an electric pylon
7. 7.🔺 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?
8. 8.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a lintel over a door (c) a crane arm (d) a curved stone doorway
9. 9.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
10. 10.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
11. 11.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) triangle (c) hexagon (d) rectangle
12. 12.🔺 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?
13. 13.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
14. 14.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a fort gateway (b) a slab over a canal (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a plank over a drain
15. 15.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
16. 16.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a fort gateway (b) an electric pylon (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a curved stone doorway
17. 17.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a crane arm (c) a truss bridge side (d) a fort gateway
18. 18.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a fort gateway (c) a truss bridge side (d) a round palace roof
19. 19.🔺 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
20. 20.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) paint it (b) take off a side (c) make it bigger (d) add a diagonal brace
21. 21.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 7 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
22. 22.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
23. 23.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
24. 24.🔺 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?
25. 25.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it works in compression (b) it is very light (c) it bends easily (d) it is hollow
26. 26.🔺 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?
27. 27.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an igloo (b) a crane arm (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a plank over a drain
28. 28.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
29. 29.🔺 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?
30. 30.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) an electric pylon (c) an old stone bridge (d) a slab over a canal
31. 31.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a fort gateway (c) a truss bridge side (d) an igloo
32. 32.🔺 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?
33. 33.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
34. 34.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a round palace roof (c) a roof truss (d) a slab over a canal
35. 35.🔺 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
36. 36.🔺 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
37. 37.True or false: a roof truss uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
38. 38.🔺 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?
39. 39.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
40. 40.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a round palace roof (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) an igloo (d) a bicycle frame

Free engineering lessons, practice and worksheets at talentjr.in/engineering-for-kids