Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 263 · 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 dome? (a) an electric pylon (b) a roof truss (c) an igloo (d) a bicycle frame
2. 2.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
3. 3.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a slab over a canal (b) an electric pylon (c) a planetarium roof (d) a plank over a drain
4. 4.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a round palace roof (c) a fort gateway (d) a crane arm
5. 5.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
6. 6.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
7. 7.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
8. 8.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
9. 9.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
10. 10.🔺 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
11. 11.🔺 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?
12. 12.🔺 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?
13. 13.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a fort gateway (b) a plank over a drain (c) a crane arm (d) an old stone bridge
14. 14.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a round palace roof (c) an old stone bridge (d) a lintel over a door
15. 15.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it bends easily (b) it is hollow (c) it works in compression (d) it is very light
16. 16.True or false: a slab over a canal uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
17. 17.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a round palace roof (b) an old stone bridge (c) a roof truss (d) a plank over a drain
18. 18.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
19. 19.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) squeezed (compression) (b) floating (c) not affected (d) stretched (tension)
20. 20.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
21. 21.True or false: a crane arm uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
22. 22.🔺 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?
23. 23.🔺 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
24. 24.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a roof truss (c) a crane arm (d) an electric pylon
25. 25.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) triangle (c) rectangle (d) hexagon
26. 26.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
27. 27.🔺 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?
28. 28.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
29. 29.🔺 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?
30. 30.🔺 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?
31. 31.🔺 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?
32. 32.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
33. 33.🔺 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?
34. 34.🔺 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?
35. 35.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
36. 36.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a roof truss (b) a lintel over a door (c) an igloo (d) a round palace roof
37. 37.🔺 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
38. 38.True or false: a fort gateway uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
39. 39.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a crane arm (c) a roof truss (d) a bicycle frame
40. 40.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch

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