Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 248 · 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 an electric pylon use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
2. 2.🔺 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
3. 3.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
4. 4.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
5. 5.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
6. 6.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
7. 7.🔺 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?
8. 8.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) paint it (b) take off a side (c) make it bigger (d) add a diagonal brace
9. 9.🔺 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
10. 10.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a roof truss (b) an old stone bridge (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a round palace roof
11. 11.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a roof truss (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a planetarium roof (d) a truss bridge side
12. 12.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a round palace roof (b) a lintel over a door (c) a curved stone doorway (d) an old stone bridge
13. 13.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) triangle (b) rectangle (c) square (d) hexagon
14. 14.🔺 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
15. 15.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
16. 16.🔺 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?
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.True or false: a fort gateway uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
19. 19.🔺 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?
20. 20.🔺 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?
21. 21.🔺 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?
22. 22.🔺 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?
23. 23.🔺 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?
24. 24.🔺 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
25. 25.🔺 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?
26. 26.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 6 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 truss bridge side use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
28. 28.True or false: a planetarium roof uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
29. 29.🔺 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
30. 30.🔺 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?
31. 31.🔺 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?
32. 32.🔺 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?
33. 33.True or false: a roof truss uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
34. 34.🔺 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?
35. 35.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a round palace roof (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a curved stone doorway (d) an electric pylon
36. 36.True or false: a round palace roof uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
37. 37.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) stretched (tension) (b) not affected (c) floating (d) squeezed (compression)
38. 38.🔺 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?
39. 39.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
40. 40.True or false: a truss bridge side uses triangles. (a) False (b) True

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