Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 124 · 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.🔺 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?
2. 2.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
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.🔺 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?
5. 5.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) stretched (tension) (b) not affected (c) floating (d) squeezed (compression)
6. 6.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
7. 7.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a fort gateway (b) an electric pylon (c) an igloo (d) a curved stone doorway
8. 8.🔺 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?
9. 9.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a planetarium roof (c) a bicycle frame (d) a round palace roof
10. 10.True or false: a round palace roof uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
11. 11.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
12. 12.🔺 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
13. 13.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a fort gateway (c) a truss bridge side (d) an old stone bridge
14. 14.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a roof truss (b) a fort gateway (c) an electric pylon (d) a plank over a drain
15. 15.🔺 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?
16. 16.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a curved stone doorway (c) an electric pylon (d) a slab over a canal
17. 17.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it bends easily (b) it works in compression (c) it is hollow (d) it is very light
18. 18.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
19. 19.🔺 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?
20. 20.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
21. 21.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a round palace roof (d) an electric pylon
22. 22.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
23. 23.🔺 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?
24. 24.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
25. 25.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
26. 26.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a roof truss (c) a plank over a drain (d) a lintel over a door
27. 27.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
28. 28.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
29. 29.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
30. 30.True or false: a roof truss uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
31. 31.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) make it bigger (b) add a diagonal brace (c) paint it (d) take off a side
32. 32.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a lintel over a door (c) a planetarium roof (d) a fort gateway
33. 33.🔺 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?
34. 34.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
35. 35.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) rectangle (b) hexagon (c) square (d) triangle
36. 36.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
37. 37.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 8 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
38. 38.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a slab over a canal (b) an electric pylon (c) a truss bridge side (d) a bicycle frame
39. 39.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a fort gateway (b) a plank over a drain (c) a round palace roof (d) a truss bridge side
40. 40.🔺 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

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