Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 187 · 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.🔺 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?
2. 2.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
3. 3.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it works in compression (b) it bends easily (c) it is hollow (d) it is very light
4. 4.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
5. 5.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) rectangle (b) triangle (c) square (d) hexagon
6. 6.🔺 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
7. 7.🔺 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?
8. 8.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
9. 9.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a bicycle frame (c) a planetarium roof (d) a shelf on two brackets
10. 10.🔺 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?
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 square 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.🔺 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?
14. 14.🔺 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
15. 15.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a planetarium roof (b) an electric pylon (c) a plank over a drain (d) a crane arm
16. 16.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
17. 17.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
18. 18.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a crane arm (b) a plank over a drain (c) a bicycle frame (d) an igloo
19. 19.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
20. 20.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a round palace roof (c) an electric pylon (d) an old stone bridge
21. 21.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a fort gateway (b) a bicycle frame (c) an electric pylon (d) a slab over a canal
22. 22.True or false: a round palace roof uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
23. 23.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
24. 24.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
25. 25.🔺 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?
26. 26.🔺 A flat frame has 10 straight sides joined by loose pins at the corners. What is the least number of corner-to-corner braces needed to make it rigid?
27. 27.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) take off a side (b) add a diagonal brace (c) paint it (d) make it bigger
28. 28.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
29. 29.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
30. 30.True or false: a truss bridge side uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
31. 31.🔺 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?
32. 32.🔺 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
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) rigid (b) wobbly
34. 34.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a round palace roof (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a roof truss (d) a shelf on two brackets
35. 35.True or false: a lintel over a door uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
36. 36.🔺 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?
37. 37.🔺 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?
38. 38.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 7 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: a plank over a drain uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
40. 40.True or false: an igloo uses a beam. (a) True (b) False

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