Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 16 · 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.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it bends easily (b) it works in compression (c) it is very light (d) it is hollow
2. 2.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) paint it (b) make it bigger (c) take off a side (d) add a diagonal brace
3. 3.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) not affected (b) squeezed (compression) (c) stretched (tension) (d) floating
4. 4.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a crane arm (c) a plank over a drain (d) a planetarium roof
5. 5.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an old stone bridge (b) an igloo (c) an electric pylon (d) a planetarium roof
6. 6.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a plank over a drain (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a bicycle frame
7. 7.🔺 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?
8. 8.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
9. 9.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a slab over a canal (c) a roof truss (d) a shelf on two brackets
10. 10.🔺 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?
11. 11.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) rectangle (b) square (c) hexagon (d) triangle
12. 12.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
13. 13.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
14. 14.🔺 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?
15. 15.True or false: a crane arm uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
16. 16.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
17. 17.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
18. 18.🔺 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?
19. 19.True or false: a truss bridge side uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
20. 20.🔺 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
21. 21.🔺 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?
22. 22.🔺 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?
23. 23.🔺 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?
24. 24.🔺 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?
25. 25.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
26. 26.True or false: a crane arm uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
27. 27.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
28. 28.🔺 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?
29. 29.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
30. 30.🔺 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?
31. 31.🔺 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?
32. 32.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 3 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
33. 33.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a crane arm (c) a roof truss (d) a round palace roof
34. 34.🔺 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?
35. 35.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
36. 36.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
37. 37.🔺 A flat frame has 4 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 planetarium roof (b) a roof truss (c) a slab over a canal (d) a fort gateway
39. 39.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 1 triangle standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
40. 40.True or false: a fort gateway uses an arch. (a) False (b) True

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