Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 134 · 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 2 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
2. 2.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
3. 3.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
4. 4.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) an igloo (d) an electric pylon
5. 5.🔺 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?
6. 6.🔺 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?
7. 7.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
8. 8.🔺 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
9. 9.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an electric pylon (b) a round palace roof (c) a lintel over a door (d) a truss bridge side
10. 10.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
11. 11.🔺 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
12. 12.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
13. 13.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is hollow (b) it is very light (c) it bends easily (d) it works in compression
14. 14.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
15. 15.True or false: an old stone bridge uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
16. 16.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
17. 17.🔺 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
18. 18.True or false: an electric pylon uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
19. 19.True or false: a bicycle frame uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
20. 20.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
21. 21.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
22. 22.🔺 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?
23. 23.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a round palace roof (c) an old stone bridge (d) an electric pylon
24. 24.🔺 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?
25. 25.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
26. 26.True or false: an igloo uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
27. 27.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a fort gateway (c) a round palace roof (d) a roof truss
28. 28.🔺 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?
29. 29.🔺 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?
30. 30.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) add a diagonal brace (b) make it bigger (c) paint it (d) take off a side
31. 31.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
32. 32.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) hexagon (b) triangle (c) square (d) rectangle
33. 33.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a fort gateway (c) a crane arm (d) a slab over a canal
34. 34.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) stretched (tension) (b) not affected (c) squeezed (compression) (d) floating
35. 35.🔺 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?
36. 36.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a roof truss (c) a crane arm (d) an old stone bridge
37. 37.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a crane arm (b) a fort gateway (c) a truss bridge side (d) a lintel over a door
38. 38.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a slab over a canal (b) an electric pylon (c) a plank over a drain (d) an old stone bridge
39. 39.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
40. 40.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid

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