Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 158 · 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 a dome. (a) True (b) False
2. 2.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
3. 3.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a plank over a drain (c) a planetarium roof (d) an old stone bridge
4. 4.🔺 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?
5. 5.🔺 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?
6. 6.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) make it bigger (b) paint it (c) add a diagonal brace (d) take off a side
7. 7.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an electric pylon (b) a bicycle frame (c) an old stone bridge (d) a planetarium roof
8. 8.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) hexagon (b) square (c) rectangle (d) triangle
9. 9.🔺 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?
10. 10.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a fort gateway (b) a roof truss (c) a plank over a drain (d) an igloo
11. 11.🔺 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
12. 12.🔺 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
13. 13.True or false: a roof truss uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
14. 14.True or false: a slab over a canal uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
15. 15.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
16. 16.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
17. 17.🔺 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?
18. 18.🔺 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?
19. 19.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
20. 20.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a truss bridge side (c) a round palace roof (d) an igloo
21. 21.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
22. 22.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
23. 23.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a fort gateway (c) a slab over a canal (d) a truss bridge side
24. 24.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 12 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 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?
26. 26.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
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.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a round palace roof (c) a crane arm (d) a curved stone doorway
29. 29.🔺 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?
30. 30.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a slab over a canal (c) a plank over a drain (d) a crane arm
31. 31.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is very light (b) it works in compression (c) it bends easily (d) it is hollow
32. 32.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
33. 33.🔺 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
34. 34.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
35. 35.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an electric pylon (b) a crane arm (c) a roof truss (d) an igloo
36. 36.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
37. 37.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
38. 38.🔺 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?
39. 39.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
40. 40.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) floating (b) squeezed (compression) (c) not affected (d) stretched (tension)

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