Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 121 · 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 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
2. 2.True or false: an igloo uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
3. 3.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
4. 4.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a fort gateway (c) an electric pylon (d) a slab over a canal
5. 5.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a crane arm (b) an old stone bridge (c) a bicycle frame (d) an igloo
6. 6.🔺 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?
7. 7.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it works in compression (b) it is very light (c) it is hollow (d) it bends easily
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.🔺 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?
10. 10.🔺 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?
11. 11.True or false: a fort gateway uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
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 shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) triangle (c) rectangle (d) hexagon
14. 14.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
15. 15.🔺 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?
16. 16.🔺 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?
17. 17.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
18. 18.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 15 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
19. 19.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a slab over a canal (c) a fort gateway (d) a bicycle frame
20. 20.🔺 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?
21. 21.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) take off a side (b) paint it (c) add a diagonal brace (d) make it bigger
22. 22.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
23. 23.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
24. 24.🔺 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?
25. 25.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
26. 26.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
27. 27.🔺 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
28. 28.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) not affected (b) floating (c) squeezed (compression) (d) stretched (tension)
29. 29.🔺 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?
30. 30.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a round palace roof (b) a fort gateway (c) a truss bridge side (d) a shelf on two brackets
31. 31.🔺 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?
32. 32.🔺 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?
33. 33.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a roof truss (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) an old stone bridge (d) a round palace roof
34. 34.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
35. 35.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
36. 36.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
37. 37.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
38. 38.🔺 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
39. 39.🔺 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?
40. 40.🔺 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?

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