Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 151 · 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 strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
2. 2.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
3. 3.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) floating (b) squeezed (compression) (c) stretched (tension) (d) not affected
4. 4.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) take off a side (b) make it bigger (c) add a diagonal brace (d) paint it
5. 5.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
6. 6.🔺 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?
7. 7.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a slab over a canal (c) a bicycle frame (d) a lintel over a door
8. 8.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a round palace roof (c) a bicycle frame (d) a fort gateway
9. 9.🔺 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?
10. 10.True or false: an old stone bridge uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
11. 11.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
12. 12.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a planetarium roof (b) an electric pylon (c) an old stone bridge (d) a shelf on two brackets
13. 13.🔺 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?
14. 14.🔺 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?
15. 15.🔺 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?
16. 16.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
17. 17.🔺 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
18. 18.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) triangle (c) hexagon (d) rectangle
19. 19.🔺 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?
20. 20.🔺 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?
21. 21.🔺 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?
22. 22.True or false: an old stone bridge uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
23. 23.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a roof truss (c) a round palace roof (d) a slab over a canal
24. 24.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
25. 25.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an igloo (b) an electric pylon (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a crane arm
26. 26.🔺 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
27. 27.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
28. 28.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a planetarium roof (c) a fort gateway (d) a round palace roof
29. 29.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
30. 30.True or false: a lintel over a door uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
31. 31.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it bends easily (b) it is very light (c) it works in compression (d) it is hollow
32. 32.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a lintel over a door (c) an electric pylon (d) a slab over a canal
33. 33.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
34. 34.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) an old stone bridge (d) a curved stone doorway
35. 35.🔺 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?
36. 36.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a round palace roof (c) a crane arm (d) a roof truss
37. 37.True or false: a truss bridge side uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
38. 38.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
39. 39.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a fort gateway (c) a slab over a canal (d) a roof truss
40. 40.🔺 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

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