Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 193 · 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) floating (b) stretched (tension) (c) squeezed (compression) (d) not affected
2. 2.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
3. 3.🔺 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?
4. 4.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a roof truss (c) a crane arm (d) a shelf on two brackets
5. 5.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) triangle (b) hexagon (c) square (d) rectangle
6. 6.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a crane arm (c) a round palace roof (d) an old stone bridge
7. 7.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
8. 8.🔺 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?
9. 9.True or false: a round palace roof uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
10. 10.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a round palace roof (b) a truss bridge side (c) an old stone bridge (d) a planetarium roof
11. 11.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
12. 12.🔺 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?
13. 13.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
14. 14.🔺 A frame shaped like a pentagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 0 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
15. 15.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
16. 16.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
17. 17.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
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.🔺 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?
20. 20.🔺 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
21. 21.🔺 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?
22. 22.🔺 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?
23. 23.🔺 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?
24. 24.🔺 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?
25. 25.True or false: a truss bridge side uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
26. 26.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) add a diagonal brace (b) make it bigger (c) take off a side (d) paint it
27. 27.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a plank over a drain (c) a fort gateway (d) a bicycle frame
28. 28.🔺 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?
29. 29.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
30. 30.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
31. 31.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a fort gateway (c) an igloo (d) a round palace roof
32. 32.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
33. 33.🔺 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?
34. 34.🔺 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?
35. 35.True or false: a crane arm uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
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.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a planetarium roof (c) a roof truss (d) a bicycle frame
38. 38.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
39. 39.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a crane arm (d) an igloo
40. 40.🔺 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?

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