Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 200 · 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.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a fort gateway (b) a truss bridge side (c) a slab over a canal (d) a plank over a drain
2. 2.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
3. 3.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
4. 4.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a fort gateway (b) a slab over a canal (c) a roof truss (d) an old stone bridge
5. 5.True or false: a round palace roof uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
6. 6.🔺 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
7. 7.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
8. 8.🔺 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
9. 9.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a roof truss (b) a bicycle frame (c) an old stone bridge (d) an igloo
10. 10.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
11. 11.True or false: a fort gateway uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
12. 12.🔺 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?
13. 13.🔺 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
14. 14.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a bicycle frame (c) a fort gateway (d) an igloo
15. 15.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) hexagon (b) rectangle (c) square (d) triangle
16. 16.🔺 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?
17. 17.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
18. 18.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a round palace roof (b) a curved stone doorway (c) an old stone bridge (d) a slab over a canal
19. 19.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an electric pylon (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a round palace roof (d) a lintel over a door
20. 20.🔺 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
21. 21.🔺 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?
22. 22.🔺 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?
23. 23.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
24. 24.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an electric pylon (b) a bicycle frame (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) an igloo
25. 25.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
26. 26.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 9 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
27. 27.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an electric pylon (b) a fort gateway (c) a bicycle frame (d) an igloo
28. 28.🔺 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?
29. 29.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
30. 30.True or false: an electric pylon uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
31. 31.🔺 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?
32. 32.True or false: an old stone bridge uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
33. 33.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
34. 34.🔺 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?
35. 35.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 5 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
36. 36.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
37. 37.🔺 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?
38. 38.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) floating (b) not affected (c) stretched (tension) (d) squeezed (compression)
39. 39.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
40. 40.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle

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