Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 205 · 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) take off a side (b) paint it (c) make it bigger (d) add a diagonal brace
2. 2.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
3. 3.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) triangle (b) square (c) hexagon (d) rectangle
4. 4.🔺 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?
5. 5.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a crane arm (c) a truss bridge side (d) a round palace roof
6. 6.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a crane arm (b) a plank over a drain (c) an old stone bridge (d) a planetarium roof
7. 7.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a fort gateway (c) an igloo (d) an electric pylon
8. 8.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
9. 9.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
10. 10.🔺 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?
11. 11.🔺 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
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.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an electric pylon (b) a fort gateway (c) a plank over a drain (d) a roof truss
14. 14.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
15. 15.🔺 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
16. 16.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
17. 17.🔺 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?
18. 18.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
19. 19.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) stretched (tension) (b) squeezed (compression) (c) floating (d) not affected
20. 20.🔺 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?
21. 21.True or false: a crane arm uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
22. 22.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
23. 23.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a slab over a canal (b) an old stone bridge (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a truss bridge side
24. 24.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 15 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
25. 25.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
26. 26.True or false: a round palace roof uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
27. 27.🔺 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?
28. 28.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it works in compression (b) it bends easily (c) it is very light (d) it is hollow
29. 29.🔺 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?
30. 30.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
31. 31.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a fort gateway (b) a roof truss (c) an old stone bridge (d) a lintel over a door
32. 32.🔺 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?
33. 33.True or false: a crane arm uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
34. 34.True or false: a roof truss uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
35. 35.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
36. 36.🔺 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?
37. 37.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
38. 38.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an igloo (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a roof truss (d) an old stone bridge
39. 39.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a crane arm (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a lintel over a door (d) a slab over a canal
40. 40.🔺 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?

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