Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 142 · 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.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
2. 2.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) paint it (b) add a diagonal brace (c) take off a side (d) make it bigger
3. 3.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
4. 4.True or false: an electric pylon uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
5. 5.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) rectangle (b) hexagon (c) triangle (d) square
6. 6.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is very light (b) it is hollow (c) it works in compression (d) it bends easily
7. 7.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a bicycle frame (c) an igloo (d) a shelf on two brackets
8. 8.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
9. 9.True or false: a fort gateway uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
10. 10.True or false: a fort gateway uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
11. 11.🔺 A flat frame has 4 straight sides joined by loose pins at the corners. What is the least number of corner-to-corner braces needed to make it rigid?
12. 12.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
13. 13.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
14. 14.🔺 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
15. 15.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a roof truss (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a round palace roof
16. 16.True or false: a slab over a canal uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
17. 17.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
18. 18.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
19. 19.🔺 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?
20. 20.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a round palace roof (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a fort gateway
21. 21.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
22. 22.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
23. 23.🔺 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?
24. 24.🔺 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?
25. 25.🔺 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?
26. 26.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
27. 27.🔺 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
28. 28.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a roof truss (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a truss bridge side (d) a shelf on two brackets
29. 29.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
30. 30.True or false: an igloo uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
31. 31.🔺 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?
32. 32.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
33. 33.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a fort gateway (c) an igloo (d) a bicycle frame
34. 34.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an electric pylon (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a round palace roof (d) a curved stone doorway
35. 35.🔺 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?
36. 36.🔺 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?
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.🔺 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?
39. 39.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) stretched (tension) (b) squeezed (compression) (c) not affected (d) floating
40. 40.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses an arch. (a) True (b) False

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