Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 119 · 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: an old stone bridge uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
2. 2.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
3. 3.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
4. 4.True or false: an electric pylon uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
5. 5.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a roof truss (b) a round palace roof (c) a plank over a drain (d) an electric pylon
6. 6.🔺 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
7. 7.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it works in compression (b) it is hollow (c) it bends easily (d) it is very light
8. 8.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
9. 9.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a slab over a canal (c) a truss bridge side (d) a lintel over a door
10. 10.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a crane arm (b) an electric pylon (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a roof truss
11. 11.🔺 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?
12. 12.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a truss bridge side (c) a planetarium roof (d) a slab over a canal
13. 13.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
14. 14.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
15. 15.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
16. 16.🔺 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?
17. 17.🔺 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?
18. 18.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
19. 19.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) triangle (b) square (c) rectangle (d) hexagon
20. 20.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a roof truss (c) an electric pylon (d) an old stone bridge
21. 21.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a fort gateway (c) a bicycle frame (d) a planetarium roof
22. 22.🔺 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
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.🔺 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?
25. 25.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a roof truss (d) a fort gateway
26. 26.True or false: a roof truss uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
27. 27.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
28. 28.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
29. 29.🔺 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?
30. 30.🔺 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
31. 31.🔺 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?
32. 32.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
33. 33.🔺 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?
34. 34.🔺 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?
35. 35.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an electric pylon (b) a plank over a drain (c) an igloo (d) an old stone bridge
36. 36.🔺 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?
37. 37.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an electric pylon (b) a planetarium roof (c) a crane arm (d) a plank over a drain
38. 38.🔺 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?
39. 39.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a round palace roof (c) a truss bridge side (d) a fort gateway
40. 40.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam

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