Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

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

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