Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

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

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