Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 155 · 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 7 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 strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
3. 3.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
4. 4.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a fort gateway (b) a plank over a drain (c) an electric pylon (d) a slab over a canal
5. 5.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
6. 6.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an electric pylon (b) a bicycle frame (c) a truss bridge side (d) a round palace roof
7. 7.🔺 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?
8. 8.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 6 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 a dome? (a) an igloo (b) a lintel over a door (c) a plank over a drain (d) a shelf on two brackets
10. 10.🔺 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?
11. 11.🔺 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
12. 12.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
13. 13.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) an old stone bridge (c) a plank over a drain (d) a lintel over a door
14. 14.🔺 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
15. 15.True or false: an igloo uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
16. 16.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
17. 17.True or false: an old stone bridge uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
18. 18.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a slab over a canal (b) an electric pylon (c) an igloo (d) a roof truss
19. 19.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
20. 20.🔺 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?
21. 21.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
22. 22.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
23. 23.🔺 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?
24. 24.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
25. 25.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
26. 26.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 9 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
27. 27.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a roof truss (c) a slab over a canal (d) a planetarium roof
28. 28.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
29. 29.True or false: a planetarium roof uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
30. 30.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) rectangle (c) hexagon (d) triangle
31. 31.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a bicycle frame (c) a planetarium roof (d) a fort gateway
32. 32.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a round palace roof (b) a plank over a drain (c) an igloo (d) an old stone bridge
33. 33.True or false: a fort gateway uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
34. 34.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
35. 35.🔺 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?
36. 36.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) squeezed (compression) (b) floating (c) not affected (d) stretched (tension)
37. 37.True or false: a roof truss uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
38. 38.True or false: a fort gateway uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
39. 39.🔺 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
40. 40.🔺 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?

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