← Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams lesson New set →

Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 238 · 40 questions
TalentJR

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.

NameDateTime takenScore ___ / 40
  1. 1.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a planetarium roof (c) a curved stone doorway (d) an electric pylon
  2. 2.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a bicycle frame (b) an igloo (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a truss bridge side
  3. 3.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
  4. 4.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is hollow (b) it is very light (c) it works in compression (d) it bends easily
  5. 5.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
  6. 6.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) make it bigger (b) paint it (c) take off a side (d) add a diagonal brace
  7. 7.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a truss bridge side (c) a lintel over a door (d) a fort gateway
  8. 8.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
  9. 9.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a truss bridge side (c) a round palace roof (d) a shelf on two brackets
  10. 10.True or false: an old stone bridge uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  11. 11.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
  12. 12.True or false: an old stone bridge 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 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
  15. 15.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 5 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  16. 16.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) triangle (b) square (c) rectangle (d) hexagon
  17. 17.True or false: an electric pylon uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  18. 18.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
  19. 19.🔺 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?
  20. 20.True or false: an igloo uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  21. 21.🔺 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
  22. 22.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a bicycle frame (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a roof truss
  23. 23.🔺 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
  24. 24.🔺 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?
  25. 25.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a round palace roof (c) a planetarium roof (d) a bicycle frame
  26. 26.🔺 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?
  27. 27.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
  28. 28.🔺 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?
  29. 29.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
  30. 30.🔺 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?
  31. 31.True or false: a crane arm uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  32. 32.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a roof truss (c) a slab over a canal (d) a fort gateway
  33. 33.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a fort gateway (b) a roof truss (c) an igloo (d) a crane arm
  34. 34.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  35. 35.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  36. 36.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  37. 37.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a roof truss (b) a planetarium roof (c) a crane arm (d) a fort gateway
  38. 38.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  39. 39.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
  40. 40.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam

Answer key

  1. an electric pylon
  2. a curved stone doorway
  3. beam
  4. it works in compression
  5. dome
  6. add a diagonal brace
  7. a truss bridge side
  8. dome
  9. a round palace roof
  10. True
  11. beam
  12. False
  13. rigid
  14. wobbly
  15. 11
  16. triangle
  17. False
  18. rigid
  19. 31
  20. True
  21. wobbly
  22. a shelf on two brackets
  23. rigid
  24. 7
  25. a bicycle frame
  26. 19
  27. arch
  28. 3
  29. triangle
  30. 3
  31. False
  32. a fort gateway
  33. an igloo
  34. True
  35. True
  36. True
  37. a planetarium roof
  38. True
  39. beam
  40. triangle

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