Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 14 · 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.🔺 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
2. 2.🔺 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?
3. 3.True or false: a round palace roof uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
4. 4.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
5. 5.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a round palace roof (b) a plank over a drain (c) a crane arm (d) a fort gateway
6. 6.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) rectangle (c) triangle (d) hexagon
7. 7.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a bicycle frame (b) an igloo (c) a fort gateway (d) an electric pylon
8. 8.🔺 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?
9. 9.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an old stone bridge (b) an electric pylon (c) an igloo (d) a bicycle frame
10. 10.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) not affected (b) stretched (tension) (c) floating (d) squeezed (compression)
11. 11.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
12. 12.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a fort gateway (d) a truss bridge side
13. 13.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
14. 14.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it works in compression (b) it is hollow (c) it bends easily (d) it is very light
15. 15.True or false: a roof truss uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
16. 16.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an electric pylon (b) a planetarium roof (c) an igloo (d) a plank over a drain
17. 17.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
18. 18.🔺 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
19. 19.🔺 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?
20. 20.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
21. 21.🔺 A frame shaped like a pentagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 0 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
22. 22.🔺 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?
23. 23.🔺 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?
24. 24.🔺 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
25. 25.True or false: an igloo uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
26. 26.True or false: a truss bridge side uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
27. 27.🔺 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?
28. 28.True or false: an igloo uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
29. 29.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a truss bridge side (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) an igloo
30. 30.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a fort gateway (b) an old stone bridge (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a roof truss
31. 31.🔺 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
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.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
34. 34.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
35. 35.True or false: a slab over a canal uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
36. 36.🔺 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?
37. 37.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a crane arm (b) a fort gateway (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a round palace roof
38. 38.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a roof truss (b) a truss bridge side (c) a planetarium roof (d) a shelf on two brackets
39. 39.🔺 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?
40. 40.🔺 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

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