Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 232 · 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 strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
2. 2.🔺 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
3. 3.🔺 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?
4. 4.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
5. 5.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an electric pylon (b) a fort gateway (c) a truss bridge side (d) a round palace roof
6. 6.True or false: an igloo uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
7. 7.True or false: an old stone bridge uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
8. 8.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a round palace roof (c) an electric pylon (d) a slab over a canal
9. 9.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an igloo (b) an old stone bridge (c) a plank over a drain (d) a planetarium roof
10. 10.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
11. 11.🔺 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?
12. 12.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is hollow (b) it works in compression (c) it bends easily (d) it is very light
13. 13.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
14. 14.🔺 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?
15. 15.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
16. 16.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
17. 17.🔺 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?
18. 18.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
19. 19.🔺 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?
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.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) take off a side (b) make it bigger (c) paint it (d) add a diagonal brace
22. 22.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
23. 23.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
24. 24.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an igloo (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a lintel over a door (d) a bicycle frame
25. 25.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) squeezed (compression) (b) floating (c) not affected (d) stretched (tension)
26. 26.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
27. 27.True or false: a round palace roof uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
28. 28.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
29. 29.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) rectangle (b) square (c) triangle (d) hexagon
30. 30.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
31. 31.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an igloo (b) a fort gateway (c) a roof truss (d) a curved stone doorway
32. 32.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
33. 33.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
34. 34.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
35. 35.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
36. 36.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 13 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 an arch? (a) a round palace roof (b) a truss bridge side (c) an electric pylon (d) a curved stone doorway
38. 38.🔺 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
39. 39.🔺 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
40. 40.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a round palace roof (b) an old stone bridge (c) a truss bridge side (d) a plank over a drain

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