Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 230 · 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.True or false: a fort gateway uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
2. 2.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
3. 3.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
4. 4.🔺 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
5. 5.🔺 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?
6. 6.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a plank over a drain (c) an old stone bridge (d) a slab over a canal
7. 7.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
8. 8.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) squeezed (compression) (b) not affected (c) stretched (tension) (d) floating
9. 9.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a round palace roof (c) a curved stone doorway (d) an electric pylon
10. 10.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
11. 11.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
12. 12.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
13. 13.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a fort gateway (b) a truss bridge side (c) a slab over a canal (d) an igloo
14. 14.🔺 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?
15. 15.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a bicycle frame (b) an old stone bridge (c) a slab over a canal (d) an igloo
16. 16.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
17. 17.🔺 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
18. 18.True or false: a crane arm uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
19. 19.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a fort gateway (c) an old stone bridge (d) a shelf on two brackets
20. 20.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
21. 21.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a roof truss (c) a round palace roof (d) a plank over a drain
22. 22.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an igloo (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a crane arm (d) a shelf on two brackets
23. 23.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) triangle (b) hexagon (c) rectangle (d) square
24. 24.🔺 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?
25. 25.True or false: a roof truss uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
26. 26.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
27. 27.🔺 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?
28. 28.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
29. 29.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a roof truss (c) a planetarium roof (d) an old stone bridge
30. 30.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
31. 31.🔺 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?
32. 32.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
33. 33.🔺 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?
34. 34.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
35. 35.🔺 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?
36. 36.🔺 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?
37. 37.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a fort gateway (b) an old stone bridge (c) an electric pylon (d) a slab over a canal
38. 38.🔺 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?
39. 39.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a roof truss (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a fort gateway (d) a bicycle frame
40. 40.🔺 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

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