Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 257 · 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 4 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 of these uses an arch? (a) a crane arm (b) a fort gateway (c) a roof truss (d) a round palace roof
3. 3.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) rectangle (b) square (c) triangle (d) hexagon
4. 4.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) stretched (tension) (b) squeezed (compression) (c) floating (d) not affected
5. 5.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
6. 6.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
7. 7.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
8. 8.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
9. 9.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an old stone bridge (b) an igloo (c) an electric pylon (d) a lintel over a door
10. 10.🔺 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?
11. 11.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a crane arm (c) an old stone bridge (d) a plank over a drain
12. 12.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
13. 13.🔺 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?
14. 14.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
15. 15.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
16. 16.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a roof truss (c) an old stone bridge (d) a slab over a canal
17. 17.True or false: an old stone bridge uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
18. 18.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
19. 19.🔺 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?
20. 20.🔺 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
21. 21.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is hollow (b) it bends easily (c) it works in compression (d) it is very light
22. 22.True or false: a truss bridge side uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
23. 23.🔺 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
24. 24.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
25. 25.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) add a diagonal brace (b) paint it (c) take off a side (d) make it bigger
26. 26.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
27. 27.🔺 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?
28. 28.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a round palace roof (c) a fort gateway (d) a shelf on two brackets
29. 29.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
30. 30.🔺 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?
31. 31.🔺 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?
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.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
34. 34.🔺 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?
35. 35.🔺 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?
36. 36.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a slab over a canal
37. 37.🔺 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?
38. 38.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
39. 39.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
40. 40.True or false: a fort gateway uses a beam. (a) True (b) False

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