Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 181 · 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.🔺 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
2. 2.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 8 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
3. 3.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a round palace roof (c) a lintel over a door (d) a bicycle frame
4. 4.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
5. 5.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a roof truss (b) a plank over a drain (c) a curved stone doorway (d) an old stone bridge
6. 6.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a roof truss (c) an igloo (d) a round palace roof
7. 7.True or false: a truss bridge side uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
8. 8.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a planetarium roof (c) a crane arm (d) an igloo
9. 9.True or false: an igloo uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
10. 10.🔺 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
11. 11.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
12. 12.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) not affected (b) squeezed (compression) (c) stretched (tension) (d) floating
13. 13.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
14. 14.🔺 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?
15. 15.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
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 shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) hexagon (b) square (c) rectangle (d) triangle
18. 18.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
19. 19.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
20. 20.🔺 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?
21. 21.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
22. 22.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a round palace roof (c) a fort gateway (d) a truss bridge side
23. 23.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
24. 24.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a bicycle frame (b) an igloo (c) a plank over a drain (d) a slab over a canal
25. 25.🔺 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?
26. 26.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
27. 27.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
28. 28.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a roof truss (b) a crane arm (c) a truss bridge side (d) an old stone bridge
29. 29.🔺 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
30. 30.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
31. 31.🔺 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?
32. 32.True or false: an igloo uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
33. 33.🔺 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
34. 34.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a fort gateway (d) an electric pylon
35. 35.🔺 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?
36. 36.🔺 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
37. 37.🔺 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
38. 38.🔺 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?
39. 39.True or false: a lintel over a door uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
40. 40.🔺 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?

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