Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 237 · 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) square (b) rectangle (c) triangle (d) hexagon
2. 2.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a fort gateway (b) a round palace roof (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a bicycle frame
3. 3.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a crane arm (c) an old stone bridge (d) a roof truss
4. 4.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a roof truss (c) a round palace roof (d) a lintel over a door
5. 5.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
6. 6.🔺 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?
7. 7.True or false: a round palace roof uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
8. 8.🔺 A flat frame has 7 straight sides joined by loose pins at the corners. What is the least number of corner-to-corner braces needed to make it rigid?
9. 9.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) paint it (b) add a diagonal brace (c) make it bigger (d) take off a side
10. 10.True or false: a round palace roof uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
11. 11.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a truss bridge side (c) a crane arm (d) a planetarium roof
12. 12.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an electric pylon (b) an igloo (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a round palace roof
13. 13.True or false: a roof truss uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
14. 14.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) floating (b) stretched (tension) (c) squeezed (compression) (d) not affected
15. 15.🔺 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?
16. 16.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an electric pylon (b) a planetarium roof (c) a plank over a drain (d) a truss bridge side
17. 17.🔺 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?
18. 18.🔺 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?
19. 19.🔺 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?
20. 20.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
21. 21.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
22. 22.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a roof truss (b) a fort gateway (c) an old stone bridge (d) an igloo
23. 23.🔺 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
24. 24.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
25. 25.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
26. 26.True or false: an old stone bridge uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
27. 27.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
28. 28.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
29. 29.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
30. 30.True or false: a plank over a drain uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
31. 31.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) an electric pylon (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a crane arm
32. 32.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
33. 33.True or false: a planetarium roof uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
34. 34.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a truss bridge side (c) a roof truss (d) a round palace roof
35. 35.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
36. 36.🔺 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?
37. 37.True or false: an old stone bridge uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
38. 38.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
39. 39.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
40. 40.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam

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