Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 165 · 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 frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 1 corner-to-corner brace. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
2. 2.🔺 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
3. 3.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a crane arm (b) an electric pylon (c) a round palace roof (d) an old stone bridge
4. 4.🔺 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
5. 5.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) rectangle (b) hexagon (c) square (d) triangle
6. 6.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) squeezed (compression) (b) floating (c) stretched (tension) (d) not affected
7. 7.🔺 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
8. 8.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
9. 9.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a round palace roof (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a plank over a drain (d) a bicycle frame
10. 10.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
11. 11.🔺 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?
12. 12.🔺 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?
13. 13.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a planetarium roof (c) a round palace roof (d) a lintel over a door
14. 14.🔺 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?
15. 15.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
16. 16.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a plank over a drain (c) a planetarium roof (d) a truss bridge side
17. 17.🔺 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
18. 18.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a roof truss (b) a bicycle frame (c) a plank over a drain (d) an igloo
19. 19.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 0 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
20. 20.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a roof truss (c) a bicycle frame (d) a planetarium roof
21. 21.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
22. 22.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
23. 23.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
24. 24.🔺 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?
25. 25.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
26. 26.True or false: an old stone bridge uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
27. 27.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
28. 28.True or false: a round palace roof uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
29. 29.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
30. 30.🔺 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?
31. 31.True or false: a crane arm uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
32. 32.🔺 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?
33. 33.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an igloo (b) an old stone bridge (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a roof truss
34. 34.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a crane arm (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a plank over a drain
35. 35.🔺 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
36. 36.🔺 A flat frame has 11 straight sides joined by loose pins at the corners. What is the least number of corner-to-corner braces needed to make it rigid?
37. 37.🔺 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?
38. 38.🔺 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?
39. 39.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
40. 40.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses an arch. (a) False (b) True

Free engineering lessons, practice and worksheets at talentjr.in/engineering-for-kids