← Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams lesson New set →

Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 177 · 40 questions
TalentJR

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.

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

Answer key

  1. a truss bridge side
  2. a curved stone doorway
  3. add a diagonal brace
  4. True
  5. dome
  6. True
  7. 8
  8. 4
  9. False
  10. 1
  11. True
  12. triangle
  13. squeezed (compression)
  14. triangle
  15. 13
  16. triangle
  17. 25
  18. it works in compression
  19. wobbly
  20. 11
  21. False
  22. 27
  23. wobbly
  24. wobbly
  25. rigid
  26. 3
  27. a lintel over a door
  28. triangle
  29. beam
  30. False
  31. beam
  32. 29
  33. False
  34. a slab over a canal
  35. 9
  36. triangle
  37. 23
  38. arch
  39. beam
  40. False

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