Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 162 · 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 roof truss uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
2. 2.True or false: a crane arm uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
3. 3.🔺 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?
4. 4.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
5. 5.True or false: a truss bridge side uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
6. 6.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a planetarium roof (b) an old stone bridge (c) a lintel over a door (d) a plank over a drain
7. 7.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) an electric pylon (c) an igloo (d) a roof truss
8. 8.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a crane arm (b) a bicycle frame (c) a roof truss (d) a slab over a canal
9. 9.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
10. 10.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
11. 11.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) stretched (tension) (b) not affected (c) squeezed (compression) (d) floating
12. 12.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is very light (b) it bends easily (c) it is hollow (d) it works in compression
13. 13.🔺 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?
14. 14.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a plank over a drain (c) a fort gateway (d) a round palace roof
15. 15.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
16. 16.🔺 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?
17. 17.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
18. 18.🔺 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?
19. 19.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a fort gateway (b) a curved stone doorway (c) an igloo (d) a truss bridge side
20. 20.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
21. 21.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
22. 22.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) hexagon (b) square (c) triangle (d) rectangle
23. 23.🔺 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?
24. 24.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an electric pylon (b) a slab over a canal (c) a round palace roof (d) an igloo
25. 25.🔺 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?
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 strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
28. 28.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) paint it (b) take off a side (c) add a diagonal brace (d) make it bigger
29. 29.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) an igloo (c) a fort gateway (d) a plank over a drain
30. 30.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
31. 31.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a roof truss (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a round palace roof (d) a slab over a canal
32. 32.🔺 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?
33. 33.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a roof truss (d) a crane arm
34. 34.🔺 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
35. 35.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a round palace roof (b) a slab over a canal (c) an electric pylon (d) a fort gateway
36. 36.🔺 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?
37. 37.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a plank over a drain (c) a crane arm (d) a planetarium roof
38. 38.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
39. 39.True or false: an electric pylon uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
40. 40.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle

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