Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 20 · 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.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) make it bigger (b) add a diagonal brace (c) take off a side (d) paint it
2. 2.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
3. 3.🔺 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?
4. 4.🔺 A frame shaped like a pentagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 1 corner-to-corner brace. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
5. 5.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) stretched (tension) (b) floating (c) squeezed (compression) (d) not affected
6. 6.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
7. 7.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a roof truss (b) a lintel over a door (c) a slab over a canal (d) an igloo
8. 8.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it bends easily (b) it is hollow (c) it works in compression (d) it is very light
9. 9.🔺 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
10. 10.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a roof truss (b) a plank over a drain (c) an electric pylon (d) a crane arm
11. 11.🔺 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?
12. 12.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a planetarium roof (b) an old stone bridge (c) an electric pylon (d) a roof truss
13. 13.True or false: a bicycle frame uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
14. 14.True or false: a roof truss uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
15. 15.🔺 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
16. 16.🔺 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?
17. 17.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a fort gateway (b) a lintel over a door (c) a truss bridge side (d) a round palace roof
18. 18.🔺 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?
19. 19.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
20. 20.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
21. 21.🔺 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
22. 22.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
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) wobbly (b) rigid
24. 24.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a lintel over a door (b) an electric pylon (c) a plank over a drain (d) a fort gateway
25. 25.🔺 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?
26. 26.🔺 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?
27. 27.True or false: a plank over a drain uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
28. 28.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
29. 29.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
30. 30.True or false: an igloo uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
31. 31.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
32. 32.🔺 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?
33. 33.True or false: a lintel over a door uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
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 curved stone doorway use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
36. 36.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a planetarium roof (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a round palace roof
37. 37.🔺 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?
38. 38.🔺 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
39. 39.🔺 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?
40. 40.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a roof truss (c) a planetarium roof (d) a crane arm

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