Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 123 · 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 hexagon 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.🔺 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?
3. 3.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
4. 4.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) not affected (b) floating (c) stretched (tension) (d) squeezed (compression)
5. 5.🔺 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
6. 6.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) rectangle (b) square (c) hexagon (d) triangle
7. 7.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a truss bridge side (c) a lintel over a door (d) a slab over a canal
8. 8.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a roof truss (c) an electric pylon (d) a lintel over a door
9. 9.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) take off a side (b) add a diagonal brace (c) paint it (d) make it bigger
10. 10.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a round palace roof (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a crane arm (d) a fort gateway
11. 11.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 3 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) wobbly (b) rigid
12. 12.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
13. 13.🔺 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?
14. 14.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it bends easily (b) it is very light (c) it is hollow (d) it works in compression
15. 15.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
16. 16.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
17. 17.True or false: a fort gateway uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
18. 18.True or false: an igloo uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
19. 19.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
20. 20.🔺 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
21. 21.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a truss bridge side (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a bicycle frame
22. 22.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
23. 23.🔺 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?
24. 24.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
25. 25.🔺 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?
26. 26.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
27. 27.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
28. 28.🔺 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?
29. 29.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
30. 30.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
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.🔺 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?
33. 33.True or false: a round palace roof uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
34. 34.🔺 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?
35. 35.🔺 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
36. 36.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
37. 37.🔺 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?
38. 38.🔺 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?
39. 39.🔺 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?
40. 40.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a planetarium roof (c) a bicycle frame (d) a fort gateway

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