Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 202 · 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 round palace roof (c) an igloo (d) a roof truss
2. 2.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a roof truss (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a lintel over a door
3. 3.🔺 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?
4. 4.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a crane arm (c) a fort gateway (d) an igloo
5. 5.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
6. 6.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a bicycle frame (c) an electric pylon (d) an igloo
7. 7.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) floating (b) squeezed (compression) (c) not affected (d) stretched (tension)
8. 8.True or false: an igloo uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
9. 9.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) hexagon (c) triangle (d) rectangle
10. 10.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an electric pylon (b) a plank over a drain (c) a slab over a canal (d) a round palace roof
11. 11.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
12. 12.🔺 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?
13. 13.🔺 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?
14. 14.True or false: a round palace roof uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
15. 15.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it works in compression (b) it is very light (c) it is hollow (d) it bends easily
16. 16.🔺 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
17. 17.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
18. 18.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
19. 19.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) paint it (b) add a diagonal brace (c) take off a side (d) make it bigger
20. 20.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a roof truss (d) a truss bridge side
21. 21.🔺 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
22. 22.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
23. 23.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a crane arm (b) a roof truss (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a lintel over a door
24. 24.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a slab over a canal (c) an electric pylon (d) a planetarium roof
25. 25.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
26. 26.🔺 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?
27. 27.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
28. 28.True or false: a fort gateway uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
29. 29.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
30. 30.🔺 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?
31. 31.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) an old stone bridge (d) a truss bridge side
32. 32.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a roof truss (c) a plank over a drain (d) a fort gateway
33. 33.🔺 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?
34. 34.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a slab over a canal (c) a planetarium roof (d) a fort gateway
35. 35.🔺 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?
36. 36.🔺 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?
37. 37.True or false: a fort gateway uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
38. 38.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
39. 39.🔺 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?
40. 40.🔺 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?

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