Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 247 · 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 of these uses triangles? (a) a fort gateway (b) a truss bridge side (c) a round palace roof (d) a slab over a canal
2. 2.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
3. 3.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
4. 4.🔺 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?
5. 5.🔺 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?
6. 6.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
7. 7.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
8. 8.True or false: an old stone bridge uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
9. 9.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
10. 10.🔺 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?
11. 11.🔺 A flat frame has 9 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.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
13. 13.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is very light (b) it bends easily (c) it works in compression (d) it is hollow
14. 14.🔺 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?
15. 15.🔺 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
16. 16.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) hexagon (c) rectangle (d) triangle
17. 17.🔺 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?
18. 18.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a slab over a canal (c) a fort gateway (d) a roof truss
19. 19.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an electric pylon (b) a roof truss (c) a lintel over a door (d) a planetarium roof
20. 20.🔺 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
21. 21.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a fort gateway (b) a bicycle frame (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a plank over a drain
22. 22.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an igloo (b) an electric pylon (c) a plank over a drain (d) a slab over a canal
23. 23.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a fort gateway (b) an old stone bridge (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a bicycle frame
24. 24.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) floating (b) squeezed (compression) (c) stretched (tension) (d) not affected
25. 25.True or false: an igloo uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
26. 26.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 11 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
27. 27.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
28. 28.🔺 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?
29. 29.🔺 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?
30. 30.🔺 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?
31. 31.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
32. 32.True or false: a truss bridge side uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
33. 33.🔺 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
34. 34.True or false: a bicycle frame uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
35. 35.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a fort gateway (b) a roof truss (c) a crane arm (d) a slab over a canal
36. 36.🔺 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?
37. 37.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
38. 38.🔺 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?
39. 39.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a roof truss (b) a fort gateway (c) a round palace roof (d) a slab over a canal
40. 40.🔺 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

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