Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 157 · 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 truss bridge side uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
2. 2.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
3. 3.🔺 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
4. 4.🔺 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?
5. 5.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
6. 6.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a slab over a canal (c) a round palace roof (d) a truss bridge side
7. 7.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
8. 8.True or false: an old stone bridge uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
9. 9.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a round palace roof (b) a crane arm (c) an igloo (d) a slab over a canal
10. 10.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a round palace roof (b) a planetarium roof (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a truss bridge side
11. 11.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a round palace roof (c) a crane arm (d) a plank over a drain
12. 12.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) stretched (tension) (b) squeezed (compression) (c) floating (d) not affected
13. 13.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
14. 14.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) triangle (b) hexagon (c) square (d) rectangle
15. 15.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
16. 16.True or false: an igloo uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
17. 17.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a lintel over a door (c) a roof truss (d) a fort gateway
18. 18.🔺 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?
19. 19.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
20. 20.True or false: an electric pylon uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
21. 21.🔺 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?
22. 22.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
23. 23.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an igloo (b) an old stone bridge (c) an electric pylon (d) a roof truss
24. 24.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
25. 25.🔺 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?
26. 26.🔺 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?
27. 27.🔺 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?
28. 28.🔺 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?
29. 29.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a crane arm (b) a roof truss (c) a curved stone doorway (d) an igloo
30. 30.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
31. 31.True or false: a crane arm uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
32. 32.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a fort gateway (b) a plank over a drain (c) a lintel over a door (d) an igloo
33. 33.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
34. 34.🔺 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?
35. 35.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
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.🔺 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?
38. 38.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) an old stone bridge (c) a truss bridge side (d) an igloo
39. 39.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an igloo (b) a round palace roof (c) a bicycle frame (d) a shelf on two brackets
40. 40.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) paint it (b) make it bigger (c) add a diagonal brace (d) take off a side

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