Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 256 · 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 a beam? (a) a round palace roof (b) a crane arm (c) an electric pylon (d) a lintel over a door
2. 2.🔺 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?
3. 3.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) squeezed (compression) (b) floating (c) stretched (tension) (d) not affected
4. 4.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a roof truss (b) an igloo (c) a crane arm (d) a slab over a canal
5. 5.🔺 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?
6. 6.🔺 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?
7. 7.True or false: a crane arm uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
8. 8.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an electric pylon (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a fort gateway
9. 9.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) triangle (b) rectangle (c) square (d) hexagon
10. 10.True or false: a truss bridge side uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
11. 11.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) make it bigger (b) paint it (c) take off a side (d) add a diagonal brace
12. 12.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
13. 13.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
14. 14.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
15. 15.🔺 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
16. 16.🔺 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?
17. 17.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a truss bridge side (c) a fort gateway (d) an igloo
18. 18.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a round palace roof (c) a fort gateway (d) an igloo
19. 19.🔺 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?
20. 20.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
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.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
23. 23.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a round palace roof (c) a crane arm (d) a slab over a canal
24. 24.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
25. 25.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) an electric pylon (c) a plank over a drain (d) a planetarium roof
26. 26.True or false: an electric pylon uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
27. 27.True or false: a planetarium roof uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
28. 28.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
29. 29.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a lintel over a door (d) a planetarium roof
30. 30.🔺 A frame shaped like a pentagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 1 corner-to-corner brace. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
31. 31.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a round palace roof (b) an electric pylon (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) an old stone bridge
32. 32.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
33. 33.🔺 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?
34. 34.🔺 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?
35. 35.True or false: a plank over a drain uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
36. 36.🔺 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?
37. 37.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
38. 38.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) an old stone bridge (c) a crane arm (d) a shelf on two brackets
39. 39.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
40. 40.🔺 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

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