Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 209 · 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.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) floating (b) squeezed (compression) (c) stretched (tension) (d) not affected
2. 2.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a round palace roof (c) an electric pylon (d) an igloo
3. 3.True or false: a truss bridge side uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
4. 4.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
5. 5.🔺 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?
6. 6.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is hollow (b) it bends easily (c) it works in compression (d) it is very light
7. 7.🔺 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
8. 8.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 1 corner-to-corner brace. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
9. 9.🔺 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?
10. 10.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a plank over a drain (b) an old stone bridge (c) a round palace roof (d) a truss bridge side
11. 11.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) hexagon (b) rectangle (c) square (d) triangle
12. 12.🔺 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?
13. 13.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a fort gateway (c) a crane arm (d) a round palace roof
14. 14.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a truss bridge side (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a bicycle frame
15. 15.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
16. 16.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
17. 17.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
18. 18.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a roof truss (c) a crane arm (d) a plank over a drain
19. 19.True or false: a round palace roof uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
20. 20.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 14 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
21. 21.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
22. 22.🔺 A flat frame has 11 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.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a planetarium roof (c) an igloo (d) a roof truss
24. 24.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a crane arm (d) an old stone bridge
25. 25.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a roof truss (b) a fort gateway (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) an electric pylon
26. 26.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
27. 27.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
28. 28.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
29. 29.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a planetarium roof (c) a truss bridge side (d) a curved stone doorway
30. 30.🔺 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?
31. 31.🔺 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?
32. 32.🔺 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
33. 33.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a curved stone doorway (c) an igloo (d) an electric pylon
34. 34.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
35. 35.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an igloo (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a plank over a drain (d) a bicycle frame
36. 36.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
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.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
39. 39.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
40. 40.True or false: a slab over a canal uses an arch. (a) False (b) True

Free engineering lessons, practice and worksheets at talentjr.in/engineering-for-kids