Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 185 · 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.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) not affected (b) floating (c) stretched (tension) (d) squeezed (compression)
2. 2.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a truss bridge side (c) an electric pylon (d) an igloo
3. 3.True or false: an igloo uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
4. 4.🔺 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?
5. 5.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
6. 6.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
7. 7.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 3 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
8. 8.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a crane arm (d) a fort gateway
9. 9.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a crane arm (c) a curved stone doorway (d) an old stone bridge
10. 10.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) rectangle (b) hexagon (c) triangle (d) square
11. 11.🔺 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?
12. 12.🔺 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
13. 13.True or false: a truss bridge side uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
14. 14.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
15. 15.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
16. 16.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) an old stone bridge (c) an electric pylon (d) a round palace roof
17. 17.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is very light (b) it is hollow (c) it works in compression (d) it bends easily
18. 18.🔺 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?
19. 19.🔺 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
20. 20.True or false: a slab over a canal uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
21. 21.🔺 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?
22. 22.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
23. 23.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
24. 24.🔺 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?
25. 25.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
26. 26.🔺 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
27. 27.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a curved stone doorway (c) an old stone bridge (d) an electric pylon
28. 28.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
29. 29.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an igloo (b) a crane arm (c) an electric pylon (d) a curved stone doorway
30. 30.🔺 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?
31. 31.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a fort gateway (b) a round palace roof (c) a slab over a canal (d) a planetarium roof
32. 32.🔺 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?
33. 33.🔺 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
34. 34.🔺 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?
35. 35.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
36. 36.🔺 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?
37. 37.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
38. 38.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a roof truss (c) a fort gateway (d) a curved stone doorway
39. 39.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
40. 40.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch

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