Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 174 · 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: an igloo uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
2. 2.🔺 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
3. 3.True or false: a roof truss uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
4. 4.🔺 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?
5. 5.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a planetarium roof (b) an electric pylon (c) a slab over a canal (d) a roof truss
6. 6.True or false: a fort gateway uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
7. 7.True or false: a fort gateway uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
8. 8.True or false: a planetarium roof uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
9. 9.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
10. 10.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a roof truss (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a slab over a canal (d) an old stone bridge
11. 11.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) floating (b) not affected (c) squeezed (compression) (d) stretched (tension)
12. 12.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a round palace roof (b) an old stone bridge (c) a roof truss (d) an electric pylon
13. 13.🔺 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?
14. 14.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
15. 15.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a fort gateway (c) an electric pylon (d) a lintel over a door
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 fort gateway use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
18. 18.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
19. 19.True or false: a plank over a drain uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
20. 20.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an electric pylon (b) a crane arm (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a planetarium roof
21. 21.True or false: a fort gateway uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
22. 22.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) triangle (c) rectangle (d) hexagon
23. 23.🔺 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?
24. 24.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
25. 25.🔺 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
26. 26.True or false: a truss bridge side uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
27. 27.🔺 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?
28. 28.🔺 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?
29. 29.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
30. 30.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an electric pylon (b) an old stone bridge (c) a plank over a drain (d) a crane arm
31. 31.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
32. 32.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) paint it (b) make it bigger (c) add a diagonal brace (d) take off a side
33. 33.🔺 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?
34. 34.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a crane arm (b) a plank over a drain (c) a fort gateway (d) a bicycle frame
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) wobbly (b) rigid
36. 36.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
37. 37.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 10 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 12 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
39. 39.True or false: an electric pylon uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
40. 40.True or false: a crane arm uses an arch. (a) False (b) True

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