Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 226 · 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 shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) hexagon (b) triangle (c) rectangle (d) square
2. 2.🔺 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?
3. 3.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an old stone bridge (b) an igloo (c) an electric pylon (d) a planetarium roof
4. 4.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
5. 5.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) floating (b) stretched (tension) (c) not affected (d) squeezed (compression)
6. 6.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a curved stone doorway (c) an electric pylon (d) a round palace roof
7. 7.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 0 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
8. 8.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a roof truss (b) a crane arm (c) a plank over a drain (d) a curved stone doorway
9. 9.🔺 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?
10. 10.🔺 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?
11. 11.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) make it bigger (b) take off a side (c) add a diagonal brace (d) paint it
12. 12.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a truss bridge side (c) a plank over a drain (d) an old stone bridge
13. 13.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
14. 14.🔺 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?
15. 15.🔺 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?
16. 16.🔺 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?
17. 17.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
18. 18.🔺 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
19. 19.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
20. 20.🔺 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?
21. 21.🔺 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
22. 22.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a round palace roof (b) an old stone bridge (c) a roof truss (d) a lintel over a door
23. 23.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
24. 24.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
25. 25.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
26. 26.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a crane arm (c) a roof truss (d) a round palace roof
27. 27.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a slab over a canal (b) an igloo (c) a round palace roof (d) a crane arm
28. 28.🔺 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?
29. 29.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an electric pylon (b) a planetarium roof (c) a slab over a canal (d) a roof truss
30. 30.True or false: a fort gateway uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
31. 31.🔺 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
32. 32.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a fort gateway (b) an electric pylon (c) an old stone bridge (d) a lintel over a door
33. 33.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
34. 34.🔺 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?
35. 35.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
36. 36.True or false: a fort gateway uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
37. 37.True or false: an electric pylon uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
38. 38.True or false: a truss bridge side uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
39. 39.🔺 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?
40. 40.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it bends easily (b) it works in compression (c) it is hollow (d) it is very light

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