Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 160 · 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 an electric pylon use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
2. 2.True or false: an igloo uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
3. 3.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a roof truss (c) a truss bridge side (d) a slab over a canal
4. 4.🔺 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
5. 5.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a lintel over a door (c) a round palace roof (d) a bicycle frame
6. 6.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
7. 7.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a roof truss (b) an old stone bridge (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a slab over a canal
8. 8.🔺 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?
9. 9.True or false: an electric pylon uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
10. 10.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
11. 11.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
12. 12.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a crane arm (b) a round palace roof (c) a slab over a canal (d) an old stone bridge
13. 13.True or false: a roof truss uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
14. 14.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a crane arm (b) a lintel over a door (c) a fort gateway (d) an old stone bridge
15. 15.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is very light (b) it bends easily (c) it works in compression (d) it is hollow
16. 16.True or false: a truss bridge side uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
17. 17.🔺 A frame shaped like a square is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 1 corner-to-corner brace. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
18. 18.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) not affected (b) floating (c) stretched (tension) (d) squeezed (compression)
19. 19.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
20. 20.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
21. 21.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
22. 22.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a round palace roof (b) a bicycle frame (c) a lintel over a door (d) an igloo
23. 23.🔺 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?
24. 24.🔺 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?
25. 25.🔺 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?
26. 26.True or false: an old stone bridge uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
27. 27.True or false: a slab over a canal uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
28. 28.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
29. 29.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a slab over a canal (d) an electric pylon
30. 30.🔺 A frame shaped like a pentagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 1 corner-to-corner brace. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
31. 31.True or false: a crane arm uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
32. 32.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
33. 33.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 3 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
34. 34.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a crane arm (c) a fort gateway (d) an igloo
35. 35.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a lintel over a door (c) an old stone bridge (d) a truss bridge side
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.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
38. 38.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a bicycle frame (b) an electric pylon (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a truss bridge side
39. 39.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) hexagon (b) rectangle (c) square (d) triangle
40. 40.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a dome. (a) True (b) False

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