Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 214 · 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) an old stone bridge (b) an electric pylon (c) a slab over a canal (d) a round palace roof
2. 2.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an old stone bridge (b) an electric pylon (c) a truss bridge side (d) a lintel over a door
3. 3.True or false: an electric pylon uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
4. 4.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
5. 5.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) rectangle (b) hexagon (c) square (d) triangle
6. 6.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) stretched (tension) (b) floating (c) squeezed (compression) (d) not affected
7. 7.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
8. 8.🔺 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?
9. 9.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
10. 10.🔺 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
11. 11.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a truss bridge side (b) an electric pylon (c) a round palace roof (d) a curved stone doorway
12. 12.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
13. 13.🔺 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
14. 14.🔺 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?
15. 15.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
16. 16.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a bicycle frame (c) an igloo (d) a round palace roof
17. 17.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a round palace roof (d) a roof truss
18. 18.🔺 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?
19. 19.🔺 A flat frame has 6 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) make it bigger (b) take off a side (c) paint it (d) add a diagonal brace
21. 21.🔺 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?
22. 22.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
23. 23.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
24. 24.🔺 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
25. 25.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
26. 26.🔺 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?
27. 27.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
28. 28.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a crane arm (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a curved stone doorway
29. 29.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
30. 30.🔺 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?
31. 31.🔺 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
32. 32.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
33. 33.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a planetarium roof (c) a truss bridge side (d) an electric pylon
34. 34.True or false: a roof truss uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
35. 35.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
36. 36.🔺 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?
37. 37.🔺 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?
38. 38.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
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.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a roof truss (b) an igloo (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a truss bridge side

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