Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 127 · 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 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?
2. 2.🔺 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
3. 3.🔺 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?
4. 4.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
5. 5.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a roof truss (b) an old stone bridge (c) an igloo (d) a lintel over a door
6. 6.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a slab over a canal (c) a plank over a drain (d) a truss bridge side
7. 7.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
8. 8.🔺 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?
9. 9.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it works in compression (b) it is very light (c) it bends easily (d) it is hollow
10. 10.True or false: a roof truss uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
11. 11.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a round palace roof (b) a bicycle frame (c) a lintel over a door (d) a plank over a drain
12. 12.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
13. 13.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
14. 14.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
15. 15.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) hexagon (b) rectangle (c) square (d) triangle
16. 16.True or false: a bicycle frame uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
17. 17.🔺 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?
18. 18.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) make it bigger (b) take off a side (c) add a diagonal brace (d) paint it
19. 19.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
20. 20.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
21. 21.🔺 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?
22. 22.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
23. 23.🔺 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
24. 24.🔺 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?
25. 25.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a fort gateway (b) a bicycle frame (c) a crane arm (d) a roof truss
26. 26.🔺 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?
27. 27.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a plank over a drain (c) an old stone bridge (d) an igloo
28. 28.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a plank over a drain (c) a crane arm (d) a round palace roof
29. 29.🔺 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
30. 30.True or false: a fort gateway uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
31. 31.🔺 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?
32. 32.🔺 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?
33. 33.🔺 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?
34. 34.True or false: an electric pylon uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
35. 35.🔺 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?
36. 36.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a round palace roof (c) a bicycle frame (d) an igloo
37. 37.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a roof truss (c) a plank over a drain (d) a round palace roof
38. 38.🔺 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?
39. 39.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
40. 40.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam

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