Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 164 · 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.🔺 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?
2. 2.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) take off a side (b) make it bigger (c) paint it (d) add a diagonal brace
3. 3.🔺 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
4. 4.🔺 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?
5. 5.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
6. 6.🔺 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?
7. 7.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a lintel over a door (d) a fort gateway
8. 8.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
9. 9.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it bends easily (b) it is hollow (c) it is very light (d) it works in compression
10. 10.🔺 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
11. 11.True or false: a crane arm uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
12. 12.🔺 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?
13. 13.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
14. 14.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
15. 15.True or false: a plank over a drain uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
16. 16.🔺 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?
17. 17.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
18. 18.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
19. 19.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a roof truss (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a bicycle frame (d) a curved stone doorway
20. 20.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
21. 21.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a crane arm (b) a fort gateway (c) a lintel over a door (d) a curved stone doorway
22. 22.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an igloo (b) a fort gateway (c) a bicycle frame (d) a round palace roof
23. 23.True or false: an electric pylon uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
24. 24.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) hexagon (b) rectangle (c) triangle (d) square
25. 25.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) floating (b) not affected (c) stretched (tension) (d) squeezed (compression)
26. 26.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
27. 27.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a crane arm (b) a plank over a drain (c) an old stone bridge (d) a round palace roof
28. 28.🔺 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?
29. 29.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
30. 30.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
31. 31.🔺 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?
32. 32.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a roof truss (b) an electric pylon (c) an igloo (d) a fort gateway
33. 33.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
34. 34.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a lintel over a door (c) a slab over a canal (d) an old stone bridge
35. 35.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
36. 36.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a crane arm (b) a plank over a drain (c) a planetarium roof (d) a truss bridge side
37. 37.🔺 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?
38. 38.🔺 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?
39. 39.🔺 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?
40. 40.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses an arch. (a) True (b) False

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