Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 206 · 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 strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
2. 2.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) hexagon (c) rectangle (d) triangle
3. 3.True or false: a crane arm uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
4. 4.🔺 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?
5. 5.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a truss bridge side (b) an electric pylon (c) a bicycle frame (d) a round palace roof
6. 6.🔺 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
7. 7.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) add a diagonal brace (b) take off a side (c) paint it (d) make it bigger
8. 8.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) squeezed (compression) (b) not affected (c) floating (d) stretched (tension)
9. 9.🔺 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?
10. 10.🔺 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
11. 11.True or false: a crane arm uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
12. 12.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a crane arm (c) a fort gateway (d) a slab over a canal
13. 13.🔺 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?
14. 14.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
15. 15.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
16. 16.True or false: a truss bridge side uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
17. 17.🔺 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?
18. 18.True or false: a planetarium roof uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
19. 19.🔺 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?
20. 20.🔺 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
21. 21.🔺 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?
22. 22.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a bicycle frame (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a slab over a canal
23. 23.🔺 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?
24. 24.🔺 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?
25. 25.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a lintel over a door (c) a bicycle frame (d) an old stone bridge
26. 26.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
27. 27.🔺 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?
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.🔺 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?
30. 30.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
31. 31.🔺 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?
32. 32.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
33. 33.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
34. 34.True or false: a fort gateway uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
35. 35.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an igloo (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a truss bridge side (d) a fort gateway
36. 36.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
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.True or false: a truss bridge side uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
39. 39.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a fort gateway (c) a slab over a canal (d) a crane arm
40. 40.🔺 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

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