Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

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

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