Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 170 · 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 a slab over a canal use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
2. 2.True or false: a crane arm uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
3. 3.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a fort gateway (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) an electric pylon
4. 4.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) paint it (b) add a diagonal brace (c) take off a side (d) make it bigger
5. 5.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a round palace roof (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) an old stone bridge
6. 6.🔺 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?
7. 7.True or false: an electric pylon uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
8. 8.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
9. 9.True or false: an electric pylon uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
10. 10.🔺 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?
11. 11.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
12. 12.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
13. 13.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a slab over a canal (b) an old stone bridge (c) an igloo (d) a lintel over a door
14. 14.🔺 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?
15. 15.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a roof truss (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a plank over a drain (d) an old stone bridge
16. 16.🔺 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
17. 17.🔺 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?
18. 18.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
19. 19.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a roof truss (b) an electric pylon (c) a slab over a canal (d) a fort gateway
20. 20.🔺 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
21. 21.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 2 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) wobbly (b) rigid
22. 22.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a slab over a canal (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a crane arm
23. 23.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
24. 24.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a fort gateway (d) a truss bridge side
25. 25.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
26. 26.🔺 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?
27. 27.🔺 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
28. 28.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
29. 29.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) stretched (tension) (b) not affected (c) squeezed (compression) (d) floating
30. 30.True or false: a truss bridge side uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
31. 31.🔺 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?
32. 32.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) rectangle (b) hexagon (c) square (d) triangle
33. 33.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
34. 34.🔺 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?
35. 35.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
36. 36.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
37. 37.🔺 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
38. 38.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a crane arm (c) a round palace roof (d) an electric pylon
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 planetarium roof uses a dome. (a) True (b) False

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