Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 258 · 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.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
2. 2.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a roof truss (c) a plank over a drain (d) a bicycle frame
3. 3.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an electric pylon (b) a round palace roof (c) a bicycle frame (d) a fort gateway
4. 4.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it works in compression (b) it is very light (c) it is hollow (d) it bends easily
5. 5.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
6. 6.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) hexagon (b) triangle (c) square (d) rectangle
7. 7.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
8. 8.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
9. 9.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an electric pylon (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a slab over a canal (d) a fort gateway
10. 10.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
11. 11.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
12. 12.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
13. 13.🔺 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?
14. 14.🔺 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?
15. 15.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) squeezed (compression) (b) not affected (c) floating (d) stretched (tension)
16. 16.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
17. 17.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
18. 18.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
19. 19.True or false: a lintel over a door uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
20. 20.🔺 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?
21. 21.True or false: a planetarium roof uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
22. 22.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
23. 23.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
24. 24.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a fort gateway (d) a crane arm
25. 25.🔺 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
26. 26.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
27. 27.🔺 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?
28. 28.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an igloo (b) a crane arm (c) a bicycle frame (d) a slab over a canal
29. 29.🔺 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?
30. 30.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a fort gateway (b) a roof truss (c) a lintel over a door (d) a crane arm
31. 31.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) make it bigger (b) paint it (c) add a diagonal brace (d) take off a side
32. 32.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
33. 33.🔺 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?
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.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
36. 36.🔺 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?
37. 37.🔺 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?
38. 38.True or false: a fort gateway uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
39. 39.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a slab over a canal (b) an electric pylon (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a round palace roof
40. 40.🔺 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?

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