Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 208 · 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 a dome? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a truss bridge side (c) an igloo (d) a slab over a canal
2. 2.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
3. 3.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an igloo (b) a plank over a drain (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a lintel over a door
4. 4.True or false: a fort gateway uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
5. 5.🔺 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?
6. 6.🔺 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
7. 7.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
8. 8.🔺 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
9. 9.🔺 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
10. 10.🔺 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?
11. 11.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a lintel over a door (c) a truss bridge side (d) a crane arm
12. 12.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
13. 13.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a lintel over a door (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a planetarium roof
14. 14.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
15. 15.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
16. 16.🔺 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?
17. 17.🔺 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?
18. 18.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
19. 19.🔺 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?
20. 20.🔺 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
21. 21.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
22. 22.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a plank over a drain (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a crane arm
23. 23.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
24. 24.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
25. 25.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
26. 26.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a lintel over a door (d) a shelf on two brackets
27. 27.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) stretched (tension) (b) squeezed (compression) (c) floating (d) not affected
28. 28.🔺 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?
29. 29.True or false: an old stone bridge uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
30. 30.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a plank over a drain (b) an old stone bridge (c) an electric pylon (d) an igloo
31. 31.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) rectangle (b) square (c) triangle (d) hexagon
32. 32.🔺 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?
33. 33.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
34. 34.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
35. 35.🔺 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?
36. 36.True or false: a lintel over a door uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
37. 37.🔺 A frame shaped like a pentagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 0 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
38. 38.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a roof truss (c) a fort gateway (d) a plank over a drain
39. 39.🔺 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?
40. 40.🔺 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

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