Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 169 · 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 of these uses an arch? (a) an electric pylon (b) a fort gateway (c) a round palace roof (d) an igloo
2. 2.🔺 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
3. 3.🔺 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?
4. 4.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
5. 5.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a planetarium roof (b) an electric pylon (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) an old stone bridge
6. 6.🔺 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
7. 7.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 5 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
8. 8.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
9. 9.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a plank over a drain (c) an old stone bridge (d) a shelf on two brackets
10. 10.🔺 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?
11. 11.🔺 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?
12. 12.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a roof truss (b) a bicycle frame (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a round palace roof
13. 13.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
14. 14.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) rectangle (b) hexagon (c) square (d) triangle
15. 15.True or false: a round palace roof uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
16. 16.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
17. 17.🔺 A flat frame has 6 straight sides joined by loose pins at the corners. What is the least number of corner-to-corner braces needed to make it rigid?
18. 18.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
19. 19.🔺 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?
20. 20.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
21. 21.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a fort gateway (b) a truss bridge side (c) a curved stone doorway (d) an old stone bridge
22. 22.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a fort gateway (c) a roof truss (d) a lintel over a door
23. 23.🔺 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?
24. 24.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
25. 25.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a truss bridge side (c) a fort gateway (d) an igloo
26. 26.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
27. 27.🔺 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
28. 28.True or false: a roof truss uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
29. 29.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a roof truss (b) a round palace roof (c) an igloo (d) a plank over a drain
30. 30.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
31. 31.🔺 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
32. 32.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) take off a side (b) paint it (c) make it bigger (d) add a diagonal brace
33. 33.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a truss bridge side (c) an igloo (d) a curved stone doorway
34. 34.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
35. 35.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a crane arm (b) a lintel over a door (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a slab over a canal
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 strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
38. 38.🔺 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
39. 39.🔺 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
40. 40.🔺 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?

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