Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 135 · 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 14 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
2. 2.🔺 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?
3. 3.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
4. 4.🔺 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
5. 5.🔺 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?
6. 6.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) stretched (tension) (b) not affected (c) floating (d) squeezed (compression)
7. 7.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a roof truss (b) an electric pylon (c) a lintel over a door (d) a bicycle frame
8. 8.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a bicycle frame (c) a lintel over a door (d) a shelf on two brackets
9. 9.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
10. 10.🔺 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?
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 shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) rectangle (c) triangle (d) hexagon
13. 13.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a slab over a canal (c) a crane arm (d) a lintel over a door
14. 14.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) paint it (b) add a diagonal brace (c) make it bigger (d) take off a side
15. 15.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a roof truss (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a bicycle frame
16. 16.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a fort gateway (b) a crane arm (c) a plank over a drain (d) a shelf on two brackets
17. 17.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a round palace roof (b) an electric pylon (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a plank over a drain
18. 18.🔺 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?
19. 19.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is very light (b) it works in compression (c) it is hollow (d) it bends easily
20. 20.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an igloo (b) a plank over a drain (c) a lintel over a door (d) a curved stone doorway
21. 21.🔺 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
22. 22.🔺 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?
23. 23.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
24. 24.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
25. 25.True or false: an electric pylon uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
26. 26.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
27. 27.True or false: a roof truss uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
28. 28.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
29. 29.True or false: a round palace roof uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
30. 30.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
31. 31.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a round palace roof (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a planetarium roof (d) a curved stone doorway
32. 32.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a roof truss (c) a planetarium roof (d) a plank over a drain
33. 33.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a crane arm (b) a bicycle frame (c) an electric pylon (d) an old stone bridge
34. 34.True or false: a truss bridge side uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
35. 35.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
36. 36.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a plank over a drain (b) an old stone bridge (c) a roof truss (d) a round palace roof
37. 37.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 10 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
38. 38.🔺 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?
39. 39.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a bicycle frame (c) a crane arm (d) a truss bridge side
40. 40.🔺 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?

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