Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 144 · 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.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a roof truss (b) a lintel over a door (c) an old stone bridge (d) a truss bridge side
2. 2.🔺 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
3. 3.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
4. 4.🔺 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?
5. 5.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a roof truss (c) a bicycle frame (d) a curved stone doorway
6. 6.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) squeezed (compression) (b) stretched (tension) (c) floating (d) not affected
7. 7.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
8. 8.🔺 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
9. 9.🔺 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?
10. 10.True or false: an electric pylon uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
11. 11.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a crane arm (c) a plank over a drain (d) a planetarium roof
12. 12.True or false: an igloo uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
13. 13.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
14. 14.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
15. 15.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 7 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
16. 16.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
17. 17.🔺 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?
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) rigid (b) wobbly
19. 19.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a fort gateway (b) an old stone bridge (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a truss bridge side
20. 20.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
21. 21.🔺 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?
22. 22.🔺 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?
23. 23.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
24. 24.🔺 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?
25. 25.🔺 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
26. 26.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
27. 27.True or false: a planetarium roof uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
28. 28.🔺 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
29. 29.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a round palace roof (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a plank over a drain (d) an electric pylon
30. 30.True or false: an electric pylon uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
31. 31.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
32. 32.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) hexagon (b) square (c) rectangle (d) triangle
33. 33.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a roof truss (d) an igloo
34. 34.🔺 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?
35. 35.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
36. 36.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a planetarium roof (b) an electric pylon (c) a truss bridge side (d) a shelf on two brackets
37. 37.True or false: an igloo uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
38. 38.🔺 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?
39. 39.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
40. 40.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a beam. (a) True (b) False

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