Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 259 · 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 square is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 0 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) wobbly (b) rigid
2. 2.True or false: a bicycle frame uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
3. 3.🔺 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
4. 4.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a crane arm (c) an igloo (d) an electric pylon
5. 5.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) hexagon (b) triangle (c) square (d) rectangle
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.🔺 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
8. 8.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a crane arm (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) an igloo (d) a planetarium roof
9. 9.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
10. 10.🔺 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?
11. 11.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
12. 12.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) stretched (tension) (b) floating (c) squeezed (compression) (d) not affected
13. 13.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
14. 14.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a crane arm (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a round palace roof
15. 15.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
16. 16.True or false: an electric pylon uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
17. 17.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) paint it (b) add a diagonal brace (c) make it bigger (d) take off a side
18. 18.🔺 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?
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 strong shape does an igloo use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
21. 21.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it bends easily (b) it is very light (c) it works in compression (d) it is hollow
22. 22.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a fort gateway (c) a round palace roof (d) a bicycle frame
23. 23.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a round palace roof (d) a plank over a drain
24. 24.🔺 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?
25. 25.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
26. 26.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
27. 27.🔺 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?
28. 28.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
29. 29.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 3 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) wobbly (b) rigid
30. 30.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a truss bridge side (c) an electric pylon (d) a slab over a canal
31. 31.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
32. 32.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
33. 33.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a lintel over a door (c) an old stone bridge (d) a shelf on two brackets
34. 34.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
35. 35.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 3 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 strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
37. 37.🔺 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?
38. 38.🔺 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?
39. 39.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a roof truss (c) a round palace roof (d) a lintel over a door
40. 40.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a bicycle frame (c) a curved stone doorway (d) an old stone bridge

Free engineering lessons, practice and worksheets at talentjr.in/engineering-for-kids