Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 120 · 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 an arch? (a) an electric pylon (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a planetarium roof (d) a round palace roof
2. 2.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
3. 3.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is hollow (b) it bends easily (c) it is very light (d) it works in compression
4. 4.True or false: an electric pylon uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
5. 5.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an electric pylon (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a crane arm (d) a shelf on two brackets
6. 6.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
7. 7.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
8. 8.🔺 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
9. 9.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) rectangle (c) triangle (d) hexagon
10. 10.🔺 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?
11. 11.🔺 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?
12. 12.True or false: a slab over a canal uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
13. 13.True or false: a bicycle frame uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
14. 14.True or false: a truss bridge side uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
15. 15.🔺 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?
16. 16.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) take off a side (b) paint it (c) make it bigger (d) add a diagonal brace
17. 17.🔺 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
18. 18.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) not affected (b) stretched (tension) (c) squeezed (compression) (d) floating
19. 19.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an electric pylon (b) a round palace roof (c) a fort gateway (d) an old stone bridge
20. 20.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
21. 21.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
22. 22.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an igloo (b) an electric pylon (c) a truss bridge side (d) an old stone bridge
23. 23.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a roof truss (b) a round palace roof (c) a fort gateway (d) a lintel over a door
24. 24.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
25. 25.🔺 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?
26. 26.🔺 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?
27. 27.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
28. 28.🔺 A flat frame has 7 straight sides joined by loose pins at the corners. What is the least number of corner-to-corner braces needed to make it rigid?
29. 29.True or false: a crane arm uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
30. 30.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a crane arm (c) an old stone bridge (d) an igloo
31. 31.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
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.🔺 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
34. 34.🔺 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?
35. 35.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a plank over a drain (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a truss bridge side
36. 36.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
37. 37.🔺 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?
38. 38.🔺 A flat frame has 9 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.🔺 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
40. 40.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a planetarium roof (c) a plank over a drain (d) a crane arm

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