Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 250 · 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.🔺 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?
2. 2.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) hexagon (c) rectangle (d) triangle
3. 3.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) take off a side (b) add a diagonal brace (c) paint it (d) make it bigger
4. 4.🔺 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
5. 5.🔺 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?
6. 6.True or false: an igloo uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
7. 7.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 2 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) wobbly (b) rigid
8. 8.🔺 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?
9. 9.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
10. 10.🔺 A flat frame has 12 straight sides joined by loose pins at the corners. What is the least number of corner-to-corner braces needed to make it rigid?
11. 11.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a round palace roof (b) a plank over a drain (c) a fort gateway (d) a slab over a canal
12. 12.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is very light (b) it is hollow (c) it works in compression (d) it bends easily
13. 13.🔺 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?
14. 14.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an igloo (b) a slab over a canal (c) a plank over a drain (d) a crane arm
15. 15.🔺 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?
16. 16.True or false: a crane arm uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
17. 17.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a plank over a drain (c) a round palace roof (d) a fort gateway
18. 18.🔺 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?
19. 19.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an igloo (b) a plank over a drain (c) a round palace roof (d) an electric pylon
20. 20.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a truss bridge side (c) a roof truss (d) an electric pylon
21. 21.🔺 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
22. 22.🔺 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?
23. 23.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) floating (b) stretched (tension) (c) not affected (d) squeezed (compression)
24. 24.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
25. 25.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a truss bridge side (c) a planetarium roof (d) an old stone bridge
26. 26.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
27. 27.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a planetarium roof (b) an old stone bridge (c) a lintel over a door (d) an electric pylon
28. 28.True or false: an igloo uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
29. 29.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
30. 30.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
31. 31.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
32. 32.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
33. 33.True or false: a plank over a drain uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
34. 34.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
35. 35.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
36. 36.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an electric pylon (b) a bicycle frame (c) a slab over a canal (d) an igloo
37. 37.True or false: a bicycle frame uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
38. 38.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a fort gateway (b) a plank over a drain (c) a roof truss (d) a curved stone doorway
39. 39.🔺 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?
40. 40.🔺 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?

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