Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 139 · 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 3 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 of these uses a beam? (a) an old stone bridge (b) an igloo (c) a lintel over a door (d) a curved stone doorway
3. 3.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a roof truss (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a curved stone doorway
4. 4.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an old stone bridge (b) an electric pylon (c) an igloo (d) a fort gateway
5. 5.🔺 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
6. 6.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
7. 7.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
8. 8.🔺 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?
9. 9.🔺 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?
10. 10.🔺 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?
11. 11.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an electric pylon (b) an igloo (c) a fort gateway (d) a shelf on two brackets
12. 12.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a lintel over a door (c) a bicycle frame (d) a round palace roof
13. 13.True or false: a lintel over a door uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
14. 14.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
15. 15.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a bicycle frame (c) a planetarium roof (d) a fort gateway
16. 16.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) take off a side (b) add a diagonal brace (c) paint it (d) make it bigger
17. 17.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
18. 18.🔺 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?
19. 19.🔺 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?
20. 20.🔺 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
21. 21.🔺 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?
22. 22.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a bicycle frame (c) a fort gateway (d) a plank over a drain
23. 23.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) rectangle (b) square (c) hexagon (d) triangle
24. 24.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
25. 25.True or false: a roof truss uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
26. 26.🔺 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?
27. 27.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is very light (b) it bends easily (c) it works in compression (d) it is hollow
28. 28.🔺 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?
29. 29.True or false: a crane arm uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
30. 30.🔺 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?
31. 31.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
32. 32.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
33. 33.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) not affected (b) floating (c) squeezed (compression) (d) stretched (tension)
34. 34.🔺 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?
35. 35.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
36. 36.True or false: a fort gateway uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
37. 37.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a lintel over a door (c) a bicycle frame (d) a planetarium roof
38. 38.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
39. 39.True or false: an old stone bridge uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
40. 40.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid

Free engineering lessons, practice and worksheets at talentjr.in/engineering-for-kids